HC Deb 01 April 1963 vol 675 cc25-8
38. Mr. Kelley

asked the Minister of Labour what opportunities for employment are available for the people at present employed by the Ford Motor Company in their Doncaster factory.

39. Mr. Jeger

asked the Minister of Labour what discussions he has had in Doncaster about the proposed closure of the Ford Works there, and its effect on local employment; and what plans he has for helping to provide work in the district which includes Thorne, where the unemployment figure is 10 per cent.

40. Mr. Wainwright

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that the threatened closing down of the Ford Motor Company's car assembly plant in Doncaster will further aggravate the unemployment position in the Dearne Valley contituency area; and what his plans are to help to prevent the workpeople affected from becoming redundant.

Mr. Hare

The company has announced that it intends to end car production at Doncaster by the middle of next year, but I understand that no definite decision has yet been taken to close the factory completely. It is impossible to say at this stage how many workpeople will need to find alternative work locally but the full facilities of my Department will be available to any workers who seek our help.

Mr. Kelley

Is the Minister not aware that people are waiting for an answer to a question of this kind in Doncaster? Does he not know that redundancies and rumours of redundancies in Doncaster are throwing a blanket of gloom over the town? If he could give us some shade of hope that jobs will be available when this factory closes down that would be a great fillip to the town?

Mr. Hare

The whole point of my Answer is that it is not finally decided that this factory will close down. As I explained, the company is still examining what other work might be carried out at its Doncaster factory and is also offering its employees jobs at its other factories.

Mr. Jeger

Will the right hon. Gentleman remember that it is impossible to offer jobs to some of the workers in Doncaster—and urge them to go elsewhere and to other factories—unless housing is provided for them? There seems to be no co-ordination between the various Government Departments about work and housing. Will he bear in mind that a little while ago, when I was asking him about the heavy unemployment in the Thorne area of my constituency, he suggested that the people concerned might go to Doncaster to seek work? If this large Doncaster factory is likely to close down or diminish its activities, where would the right hon. Gentleman suggest that we should send the Thorne unemployed?

Mr. Hare

I am hoping that the Doncaster factory will not be closed down and that what I said earlier to the hon. Gentleman is correct. I consider that the prospects of employment in Doncaster are reasonably satisfactory and that they will help his own area. I do not, therefore, retract what I said in any way at all.

Mr. Wainwright

Is the Minister aware that this is the second factory which it is proposed to close in the south Yorkshire area recently? Will the right hon. Gentleman make some efforts to ensure that if these factories do close an alternative form of employment will be provided? Is he not aware that there is a keen suspicion in south Yorkshire that work is being taken from this area to other parts of the country where, admittedly, the unemployment is of a graver nature?

Mr. Hare

No. Sir. I do not think that that is a fair accusation. This was raised when I was visiting Doncaster the other day. It is true that a large section of the motor car industry has gone to Scotland, Merseyside and elsewhere, but I think that it is important at this stage not to conclude that the factory, about which we are speaking, is necessarily going to close down. I also think that, with the general efforts of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to expand the economy, the future of Doncaster need not be as depressing as some hon. Members are trying to make out.

Sir G. Nabarro

Regarding the large financial subventions given by the Government to the motor industry to establish production at Halewood and elsewhere, can my right hon. Friend say whether the Ford Motor Company advised the Government—before Government money was invested at Halewood and elsewhere—that if production commenced there car production would cease at Doncaster and would be concentrated at Halewood?

Mr. Hare

I do not think that the company was in a position to give such advice at the stage when it was decided to move to Halewood. To be fair to the company, it must constantly be examining the efficiency of its organisation; and it is no use taking up an entirely rigid attitude in these matters.