§ 40. Mr. C. Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Air why the maintenance contract between his Department and the Fairey Aviation Company Limited, at Royal Air Force, Valley, Anglesey, is being terminated on 31st December. 1958; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Secretary of State for Air (Mr. George Ward)As the hon. Member now knows, the task for which the contract was awarded will finish at the end of this month. We shall, however, shortly be inviting tenders for a new contract for the servicing of certain training aircraft which will move to Valley in the early part of next year. We are also considering whether we can ourselves employ any more civilians at Valley in place of airmen. I hope that in these ways employment will again be available at Valley for at least as many civilians as are working there now.
§ Mr. HughesIs the Secretary of State aware that the dismissal of 85 men just before Christmas in an area of high unemployment has caused concern and despondency throughout Anglesey? How soon does he think work will be found for the men who have been dismissed?
§ Mr. WardThe task does not end until the end of the year—after Christmas. I hope that quite soon in the New Year there will be fairly extensive works services which will temporarily employ some of these people. A little later, in two or three months' time, we hope to be able to let a contract for this further work.