FINANCE Secretary John Swinney has assured workers at Diageo's Port has grain distillery in Glasgow that the Scottish Government is making "every effort" to save their jobs.

Mr Swinney and Scottish Enterprise chief executive Jack Perry visited the plant yesterday to meet workers and union representatives fighting to save about 200 jobs.

Another 700 at Diageo's Johnnie Walker packaging plant in Kilmarnock are under threat under the company's rationalisation plans, and Glasgow workers fear their plight is being overshadowed by the more extensive redundancies in Ayrshire.

Mr Swinney said the visit was "an essential part of the government's work with Scottish Enterprise in putting together an alternative business proposition to protect employment in Kilmarnock and Glasgow".

He said: "I can assure the workforce that every effort is going into getting the best possible information to develop the strongest proposition. We will analyse that information and marshal the alternative business case with every speed while the company's consultation continues."

First Minister Alex Salmond is due to meet Diageo's chief executive Paul Walsh in London next week and a "detailed precise and viable" alternative strategy to save the jobs is to be ready by mid-August.