Argus refit is back on

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 21st Jul 2006

RFA Argus

RFA Argus will be arriving in Falmouth on Wednesday for an £11 million refit just days after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) threatened to cancel the contract.

Falmouth's A&P dockyard contacted local MP Julia Goldsworthy for help when the Government warned it may call off its order at short notice.

Commenting, Julia Goldsworthy MP said:

"A&P told me that they had allocated their largest dock and 200 workers to the RFA Argus, and had turned down other jobs to make way for this project.

"I got straight in touch with the Secretary of State for Defence to tell him that it was unacceptable to back out of a contract at such short notice. I am glad to see that he has taken this message on board.

"This contract was supposed to be an example of a new way of working between the MoD and private companies, designed to save money and secure jobs. Obviously the Government has still got a lot to learn about dealing with businesses."