§ 13. Mr. Hunterasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the merger between Electrical and Musical Industries and other radio companies, which is likely to cause serious unemployment in the Feltham area of Middlesex; and what action he proposes to take to provide alternataive employment for those affected.
§ 14. Mr. Pargiterasked the Minister of Labour what step he proposes to take in connection with the redundancy which will arise from amalgamation in the radio industry in Middlesex and to find alternative employment for those affected.
§ 15. Mr. Skeffingtonasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the threat to employment in Hayes and Harlington; what steps he proposes to take to find alternative employment for those affected.
Mr. lain MacleodI understand that although no redundancy has been 2078 declared the firm in question may have to discharge between 2,600 and 3,000 workers in the next few months. All those concerned will be invited to register with my Department for other employment as soon as it is known which workers are to be discharged, and everything possible will be done to submit them to vacancies.
§ Mr. HunterI should like to press upon the right hon. Gentleman the urgency and importance of this problem, because the merger between Electrical and Musical Industries and the Ferguson Radio Company will result in nearly 3,000 people being redundant at E.M.I., some of them being my constituents who have worked there for forty years or more, ever since leaving school. I am sure that the Minister can understand how they feel about this matter. Is he aware that the merger would leave over 200,000 square feet of factory space vacant at Hayes? Does not he agree that it is not in the local or the national interest for that space to be vacant? I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will consider that.
Mr. MacleodYes. I will indeed. It is always easier to make adequate plans for people who are to be displaced if one has reasonably long notice. We are on this occasion already in touch with the firm, and we will take all the points made by the hon. Gentleman into consideration.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that these men have been declared redundant entirely as the result of the financial merger and there is no criticism of them? In the circumstances, will the Minister use his influence to see that the men are not discharged before alternative work is available for them?
Mr. MacleodI do not think I can go as far as that, because it would do much to freeze the pattern of industry and it is in nobody's interest that that should be done. What is important is that if people have to move to another job they should find alternative employment after as short a gap as possible in that area, which remains one of labour shortage. I do not doubt that there will be difficulties, but I am confident that we shall be able to reabsorb these people.
§ Mr. Ernest DaviesIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that some of the work is to be transferred to the Ferguson factory at Enfield, that housing in Enfield is difficult, in view of the very long housing lists, and that travel facilities between the west and the north of Middlesex are equally bad? The hope should therefore not be held out to the people who are becoming redundant that employment can be found for them in Enfield.
Mr. MacleodYes, I note that point. It is true that what we might call cross-travel facilities are difficult in the Greater London area, but it still remains true that the area around Hayes has an unemployment percentage of only about 1 per cent., which is much below the national average. There will be no difficulty at all for the skilled people, I am sure; for those who are not skilled, we may well have more difficulty in finding alternative employment.
§ 16. Mr. Skeffingtonasked the Minister of Labour what action he proposes to take to deal with the unemployment which will arise consequent upon the removal from Hayes, Middlesex, to Liverpool of a large food processing plant; and what steps he proposes to take to find alternative employment for those affected.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI am informed that the transfer of this establishment to a Development Area will probably involve the discharge of rather less than 900 full-time and nearly 400 part-time workers during the late summer and early autumn. All those concerned will be invited to register with my Department for other employment, and everything possible will be done to submit them to vacancies.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that if there are to be about a thousand workers discharged from this plant, plus 3,000 workers mentioned in the previous question, plus the fact that some of the defence contracts in the district are likely to be curtailed or run down to a very much lower level despite the generally favourable conditions of employment, this may cause a very serious situation indeed in Hayes area? Would he treat the matter as one of great urgency?
§ Mr. MacleodIndeed, I will look at this matter. It is most unfortunate that the two major redundancies referred to in these questions should coincide. This move is to a Development Area, and, in general, there is much to be said for that, particularly the Merseyside Development Area, which has a 3.4 unemployment percentage and where, contrary to the general trend, unemployment has been rising.