HC Deb 25 November 1959 vol 614 cc345-6
15. Mr. Swingler

asked the Minister of Labour what arrangements he has with other Departments to ensure that his local officers receive the earliest possible notice of forthcoming redundancies, and are granted special facilities for placing those involved in alternative employment.

Mr. Heath

The local managements of Government industrial establishments inform my local officers of the numbers and qualifications of workers selected for discharge as soon as these are known and at the same time as the workpeople's representatives are informed. My local officers then attend the establishments to register those concerned for other employment, except in cases where the workers concerned come from a distance and prefer to register for local work at an employment exchange nearer their home.

My officers also receive early information from Departments about other forthcoming redundancies of which they have knowledge.

Mr. Swingler

Will the Minister check whether that procedure is working satisfactorily? Is he aware that it seems to work in the case of large-scale redundancy, particularly in the case of the great Royal Ordnance factories, but that in the case of smaller establishments, especially where they are run by the Service Departments, there does not seem to be satisfactory co-ordination with the local employment exchanges?

Mr. Heath

I will certainly look at the way the machinery is working. If the hon. Gentleman will let me have details of specific instances, I will gladly look into them.

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