§ 43. Mr. G. Thomasasked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to ensure alternative employment for the workpeople of the Cardiff Birmingham Small Arms factory when it closes on 31st March next; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, South-East (Mr. Callaghan) on 26th February.
§ Mr. ThomasIn view of the fact that that reply told us nothing of any value, the fact that the Minister has already told us that 3,400 people are signing the register at the employment exchange in Cardiff, and the further fact that the Llandaff North Engineering Company has announced that it is likely to close in April, when we will have another 800, counting that factory and B.S.A., on the employment register, cannot the Minister give some urgency to this matter?
§ Mr. MacleodWe always try to do what we can with each problem as it arises, but, of course, it does not follow that an announcement of redundancy is the same thing as an increase in the numbers on the employment register. As we have been able to show on a number of occasions in the past, that is not so. We will do everything we can through our local offices to help these people.