THE outlook for 70 Lucas staff in Burnley facing redundancy looks grim after the government refused to help.

Local MP Peter Pike gave the warning after a last-minute attempt in the House of Commons to persuade ministers to intervene.

Industry Minister John Battle and Transport Minister Glenda Jackson have told him nothing can be done.

There is a lack of demand for the compressed natural gas bottles produced in Burnley.

Mr Pike staged a special half-hour debate last night after writing several letters to ministers on the subject.

He said Lucas had converted part of their Burnley plant from defence production to make the bottles which would soon be in great demand - but there was not enough of a market now to keep them going.

Mr Pike said: "We all know that in a few years there will be a market for the product, even though it is not sufficient to justify production at present.

"The danger is that if Lucas goes out of production, when the market develops the gas bottles will not be made at Lucas in Burnley or anywhere else in the United Kingdom. "We will end up importing them. That is why it is important to find a solution."

He was backed by Pendle MP Gordon Prentice, who said: "It is inexplicable that management in the United States has decided to pull out of the market when it is about to take off."

Mr Pike asked for the government to cut to the European Union minimum the duty on the compressed natural gas used in the bottles for environmentally- friendly vehicles.

He also requested cash aid for the factory and moves by the government to convert some of its fleets of cars and other vehicles to the gas.

But Mr Battle, who sat through the debate, wrote to him saying that the government had explored all the avenues of providing cash aid but "none has proven suitable."

Mr Pike said: "It wasn't very helpful. The outlook is now grim for the plant and the workers.

"One could argue that if France and Germany can cut the duty, why can't this government? Its a good product but we are running out of time."

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