The boss of ferry operator P&O will appear before a Holyrood committee next week after the company’s decision to sack 800 seafarers by video message was branded “disgraceful” by a minister.
Peter Hebblethwaite, the chief executive of the company, appeared before a joint hearing of the Transport Select Committee and the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee at Westminster on Thursday, where he told MPs he would make the same decision again, if he needed to.
The decision caused widespread condemnation, with the solicitor-general saying on Thursday that the company could face legal action.
The Scottish Parliament confirmed to journalists on Thursday that Mr Hebblethwaite would appear before the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, in a letter to committee convener, Dean Lockhart, the transport minister, Jenny Gilruth, responded to the decision by P&O.
“The longer lasting impact will be the human cost felt by those who have lost their livelihoods,” she said.
“The Scottish Government was made aware by the UK Government at around 10am on March 17 of P&O’s intentions to cease its UK operations temporarily.
“That did not include comment on the devastating news given to employees by P&O an hour or so later. To inform a loyal and hardworking workforce that it was being made redundant with no warning and effectively via a public broadcast is disgraceful.
“You will be aware that the First Minister and I met with the P&O chief executive, Peter Hebblethwaite, later on March 17 when the First Minister spoke in the strongest terms about her unhappiness on the manner in which decisions had been taken by P&O including the method used in communicating the redundancies to staff.
“The First Minister said that staff had been treated appallingly and that P&O’s behaviour reflected industrial practices which have no place in the modern workplace.”
Even if the company reverses its decision, which the minister said she supported, “the reputational damage for P&O is likely to be sustained”, Ms Gilruth said.
