PROPOSED CLOSURE OF CHAMBERS HARRAP, EDINBURGH

That this House expresses its concern at the announcement by Hachette UK that it intends to close the operations at the Edinburgh headquarters of its subsidiary Chambers Harrap, the publisher of respected titles such as The Chambers Dictionary, first published in 1901 and the Chambers Biographical Dictionary, first published in 1897 and to transfer these and other profitable titles to its London and Paris offices; notes that the closure would result in the loss of 27 jobs and the Edinburgh offices; regards the proposed closure as asset-stripping of profitable titles; urges the company to reconsider its decision; and considers that if it is not prepared to keep its operations in Edinburgh itself, it should seek a buyer to allow the operations to continue in Edinburgh under another owner.