§ 35. Mr. Burdenasked the Minister of Aviation why the car parks at London Airport have been handed over to a West Drayton Service Station; what effect this will have on parking costs and facilities for members of the public; and how the employment of the British Legion men presently employed as attendants will be affected.
§ Mr. WoodhouseThe British Legion Attendants Company Limited terminated its contract for the management of the car parks on 31st January. A new contract was put out to tender and secured 27 by West Drayton Service Station Limited. The change does not affect the parking charges or the facilities. The new managers have taken over thirty of the British Legion attendants. The other attendants are also registered disabled persons.
§ Mr. BurdenWill my hon. Friend do his utmost to persuade the people who have obtained the contract to employ not only a few of the men, who obviously have been working there for a considerable time, but to employ as many of them as possible and to aim at 100 per cent. employment of those men who have been put off as a result of this change-over?
§ Mr. WoodhouseWe cannot coerce the company concerned, but I can give my hon. Friend some figures which, I hope, will reassure him. The West Drayton Service Station invited applications for employment from all the British Legion staff previously employed there. Over 60 applications were received for 41 full-time posts. The applicants were all interviewed, 30 were considered suitable and offered employment and only the remaining 11—all registered disabled persons—were recruited from other sources.