A LOCAL MSP has lodged requests that the investigations planned for the Mossmorran petro-chemical site fully cover maintenance of equipment at the site.

Ms Annabelle Ewing, Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Cowdenbeath constituency, attended a Members' Debate on Mossmorran in the Scottish Parliament last week.

Speaking after the debate, Ms Ewing said: “I am pleased that Alex Rowley sought and secured this backbench debate on what is a very important issue for the Cowdenbeath area.

"The conventions of the Scottish Parliament prevented me, as a Minister, from taking an active part in the debate, I did, however, sit in on the debate alongside my colleague Roseanna Cunningham MSP, who responded as the Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, and I am grateful to her for referring to the concerns I have been raising over many months on this issue.

“I also welcome the contributions that were made to raising awareness of this issue by other Fife MPs, including David Torrance, the MSP for the neighbouring constituency of Kirkcaldy".

Ms Ewing added: “I am particularly pleased that the Scottish Government’s Minister for Public Health, Aileen Campbell, has written to Chief Executive of SEPA to ask him to set out what SEPA are doing to address the public health concerns raised by local people regarding noise, vibration and air pollution during flaring incidents.

“Further to this debate, I have written to the Cabinet Secretary formally asking her to seek clarification from SEPA and the Health & Safety Executive in relation to the likely timescale of their recently announced joint investigation, what plans they have to ensure the greatest possible transparency regarding the results of that investigation and what sanctions are open to them in event that breaches are established.

“I have also asked the Cabinet Secretary to seek clarification as to whether this joint investigation will cover the important issue of maintenance of the existing plant and machinery and equipment as there are increasing concerns that this is an increasing problem at the site.”

The SEPA and Health and Safety Executive investigations are expected to take a highly in-depth look at the operations at the site operated by Shell and Exxon/Mobil.