HC Deb 28 January 1957 vol 563 cc641-3
1. Mr. Swingler

asked the Minister of Supply what plans have been made in his Department for the change-over to the production of civil goods in Royal Ordnance factories in the light of the declining needs of the Services and improving prospects of international agreement on disarmament.

The Minister of Supply (Mr. Aubrey Jones)

The Royal Ordnance factories at present undertake civil work on a limited scale as suppliers to other industrial organisations. Although they may take on more work on this basis when it is convenient and economical to do so, there are no plans for their changing over to the manufacture of civil goods on a large scale.

Mr. Swingler

In view of the likelihood of a cut in arms production, which will be very welcome, is not it time that some plans were made, especially as in many areas where there are large Royal Ordnance factories, alternative employment is not easily obtainable and, therefore, there is a danger of unemployment suddenly being increased?

Mr. Jones

I accept that, in view of a likely reduction in the arms programme, it is desirable to undertake a review of the whole Royal Ordnance capacity, and that I am doing; but to go into civil work on a large scale would, I submit, be inconsistent with the conception of these factories as primarily munitions factories.

2. Mr. Swingler

asked the Minister of Supply the total number of workers made redundant at the Royal Ordnance factory, Radway Green, in the calendar year 1956; his estimate of the number to be made redundant in the calendar year 1957; and to what extent agreement has been reached with the trade unions about these measures.

Mr. Aubrey Jones

Five hundred and seventy workpeople were declared redundant in 1956. Two hundred and ninety-eight of them left the factory in that year. The remainder will have gone by next March. No further redundancy is expected this year. These measures have been fully discussed with the local and headquarter representatives of the trade unions concerned and are being carried out strictly in accordance with the redundancy agreement between the official and the trade union sides of my Department's Joint Industrial Council.

Mr. Swingler

While thanking the Minister for that reply, may I ask him whether he is aware that in North Staffordshire, from which many of these men come, unemployment is already a good deal higher than the average national level? Therefore, when these matters are being considered with the trade unions, will the right hon. Gentleman pay very serious attention to the question of the availability of alternative employment before any further redundancy is created?

Mr. Jones

The timing and the pace of the redundancy notices is discussed with the trade unions. I have no doubt that the factors which the hon. Gentleman has mentioned are taken into account in the discussions.

Mr. G. Brown

As a believer in enterprise, would the right hon. Gentleman say why he is not encouraging these factories under his protection to go out to get contracts to do work?

Mr. Jones

That supplementary question seems to me to be related to the earlier Question rather than to this one. I think my Answer to the first Question made it clear that limited civil work is not at all excluded, because—and I think I made this perfectly plain in my Answer—the essence of a munitions factory is that it shall undertake munitions work. To undertake civil work on a large scale would militate against its ability to withdraw from it into munitions work quickly.

5. Mr. H. Hynd

asked the Minister of Supply why a contract for 20,000 L7A mechanical fuses has been diverted from the Royal Ordnance factory which has been making this type of fuse since 1939 to a private firm which is unable to supply the steel bodies and has sub-let that part of the contract to the original Royal Ordnance factory.

Mr. Aubrey Jones

In 1952, requirements for these mechanisms were expected to be very great and it was considered advisable to create additional capacity. No contract was diverted—to use the term used in the Question—from the Royal Ordnance factory, but a small educational order was placed with a private firm. The firm experienced difficulty in supplying the steel bodies, which they had sub-contracted, and that part of the order has been cancelled and replaced by an order on the Royal Ordnance factory.

Mr. Hynd

Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that all normal orders for this article will continue to be placed with the Royal Ordnance factory which has been making it so far?

Mr. Jones

Assuming the capacity of the Royal Ordnance factories to be adequate, normally all orders would be placed with them.