20. Mr. Leeasked the Minister of Labour what arrangements he has made to absorb into suitable employment those employees who are threatened with redundancy as the result of the closing down of a number of Royal Ordnance factories.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodEmployment considerations are being taken into account in the review of the Royal Ordnance factories that is taking place and I am now in close consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply. All the facilities of the employment exchange service will be used to help redundant workers to obtain other employment, but I cannot say anything about the prospects until it is known how many workers will be affected, which localities will be concerned and over what period discharges will occur.
Mr. LeeIs the Minister aware that there is now great concern among the employees in the Royal Ordnance factories at the very uncertainty to which he has referred? Will he try to ensure that, instead of merely asking people to go to the employment exchanges when they become redundant, really constructive efforts are made to get appropriate work into the vicinity in which these men will shortly be unemployed so that they will not need to travel?
§ Mr. MacleodIf particular difficulties of that sort arise, we try, through a pooling system, to notify suitable vacancies in other areas.