Stuart HarrattEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

BBC Aerial view of the Lindsey Oil Refinery, a large industrial complex with numerous tall chimneys, large cylindrical storage tanks and a network of interconnected pipelines. Various buildings can be seen throughout the facility, which is surrounded by roads and open land beneath a clear blue sky.BBC

The Lindsey Oil Refinery went into administration in June

Almost a third of the workers at the Lindsey Oil Refinery are to lose their jobs.

The Insolvency Service said 125 employees would be made redundant at the end of October, with 255 people remaining at the site at North Killingholme, in North Lincolnshire.

The refinery was taken over by the government’s official receiver in June after its owner, Prax Group, went into administration.

The Unite union said the government was “responsible for the redundancies going ahead, as it could provide support to ensure the refinery is kept intact and operational”.

A spokesperson for the Insolvency Service said: “This decision was not taken lightly and follows a thorough review of all aspects of the business, following its insolvency.

“The Insolvency Service will fully support employees subject to redundancy via the Redundancy Payments Service.”

The site remained safe and the official receiver was prioritising “the ongoing process to secure the sale of the refinery”.

“The conduct of the company and its directors, following the liquidation of Prax Oil Refinery, remains the subject of an ongoing Insolvency Service investigation,” the spokesperson added.

PA Media A woman with blonde hair, tied back, wears a black winter coat, buttoned up, and white pearl ear studs. She is standing on a picket line. Man can be seen holding placards in the background, which is out of focus.PA Media

Unite boss Sharon Graham described the government’s response to workers as “tin eared”

Unite claimed there had been at least two bids to “buy and operate the site as a going concern keeping a full workforce”.

The union’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, described the government’s response to the plight of the workers as “tin eared”.

“This makes a mockery of government promises to protect workers and its plan for net zero.

“The government had promised to ensure that job-focused bids would be the priority at Lindsey, yet prior to bids even being considered, they are already issuing redundancy notices.”

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