A senior MSP has slammed the Scottish Government over the possibility of compulsory redundancies at a publicly-funded research institute.
More than 50 people at the James Hutton Institute (JHI) could be forced out as the centre attempts to fill a £2.5 million shortfall due to cuts.
MSP Murdo Fraser accused the Scottish Government of hypocrisy, adding he would be urgently raising the issue at Holyrood.
He told The Courier: “The fact that there will be a substantial number of compulsory redundancies will be causing real concern to staff members and their families at the JHI.
“What makes this situation a lot more unacceptable is that the Scottish Government have a policy themselves against compulsory redundancy in the public sector.
“What we have here is an arm’s-length research and educational institute having to take these traumatic steps due to Scottish Government cuts.”
Management announced a voluntary exit scheme earlier in the summer with the objective of shedding 70 posts. Despite extending the end-of-August deadline by a month it now appears that of 55 applications to go, only 24 have been accepted and that the shortfall will be made up by compulsory redundancies.
More than 600 staff are employed on the institute’s two main sites at Mylnefield, Invergowrie, and Craigiebuckler in Aberdeen. No indication has been given over where the axe will fall and how many scientific posts will go.
It is a far cry from April 2011 when the James Hutton Institute was launched. It was announced as a world beater in crop and environmental science, but has been dogged with problems including the latest involving a £2.5 million revenue shortfall as Government cuts start to bite.
Senior scientists have each been charged with bringing in £200,000 of commercial income annually, but even so it appears that cutbacks are still inevitable.
Morale has reportedly slumped at the Mylnefield site, with one senior scientist saying: “This has become a horrible place to work. Thanks to the prevailing culture it is not a place where good science can be carried out.”
There is also an apparent conflict in spending plans, with JHI chief executive Professor Iain Gordon earlier this year announcing plans to replace the 40 buildings of various ages which make up the Mylnefield campus with a modern complex. This would require a considerable Scottish Government capital investment.
The same scientist who has asked not to be identified while the redundancy process is under way queried the sense in this.
“Most universities would regard the facilities here at Mylnefield as luxurious, and many scientists would give their eye teeth for them.”
The job losses are bound to embarrass Scottish Government ministers given their avowed policy of avoiding compulsory redundancies in the public sector.
Malcolm Currie, negotiations officer for the union Prospect, said: “We haven’t been involved too much during the voluntary exit phase but if it is to be taken further we definitely will be, To comply with the Civil Service Compensation Scheme there will have to be a further voluntary phase before there is any move to compulsory redundancy.”
Prof Gordon said: “The James Hutton Institute is in a period of change as it adapts to meet the opportunities highlighted in its ongoing Income Generation Strategy, which identifies key areas of strength, potential growth and sustainable income.
“Our intention is to enhance the contribution the James Hutton Institute makes to the agricultural and environmental sector in Scotland, the UK and further afield. By concentrating on our key strengths we will be able to do this effectively and deliver more scientific and economic impact.
“As part of that change the institute is realigning its activities to focus resources on key areas, which means a reduction in activity and staffing levels in certain areas. This will allow investment and growth to fulfil our ambition to be the world’s leading agricultural and environmental research institute.
“To meet our income generation strategy the institute has ambitious plans for the future, in the shape of two major capital projects. Firstly, an Integrated Land Use Planning Centre (supported by the Macaulay Development Trust) at the Aberdeen site, and also a barley innovation centre at our Dundee site.
“Both will require substantial fundraising from many different sources, but will support the ambition to be a world leader in land use, water, soil, climate change and food security research.”
A spokesman added that the final meeting concerning the voluntary exit scheme will not be held until September 29, and until then it would not be possible to say how the job losses would be split between scientific and non-scientific staff or between JHI’s two sites.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “While the Scottish Government would clearly prefer to avoid job losses, this is an internal business matter for the board and management of the institute.
“We are aware that the institute is looking at a range of options to ensure its long-term future as a leading agricultural and environmental research institute.”