§ 95. Mr. JOHN DAVISONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether, arising out of the proposal of his Department that one ofthe best factories should be utilised by an organisation of trade unions and others where the interest of the workers will be equal with the interests of the employers, the employers being in this case the representatives of the workmen, he will state thefactory referred to; what trade unions and what others are concerned in the proposal mentioned; what sense is to be attached to the phrase that the interests of the workers will be equal with the interests of the employers, and in what sense the employers in such a case will be the representatives of the workmen; whether this proposal has yet resulted in any definite transaction; and, if so, what are the terms of such transaction and the purposes for which the factory is to be used?
§ The DEPUTY-MINISTER of MUNITIONS (Mr. Kellaway)A proposal has been submitted that the Ailsa Craig National Projectile Factory, Chiswick, should be disposed of, and operated on a co-partnership or profit-sharing basis, 2244 either by the trade unions concerned or by persons interested in experiments of this nature, who would be prepared to provide the necessary capital. A reply has been made that any well-considered proposal on these lines will be sympathetically considered, on the clear understanding that a fair market price must be offered for the factory. No definite transaction has been carried out, and further details with regard to the proposal are awaited.