§ 4. Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for War if he will consult the management of Coatbridge Engineering Factory, with a view to making fuller use of these premises for the repair of War Department vehicles and other requirements, as this locality has been designated a growth area.
§ The Under-Secretary of State and Financial Secretary for War (Mr. Peter KirkWe are already in touch with this firm, which has a substantial contract for the current year.
§ Mr. DempseyIs the hon. Gentleman aware that recently this firm lost 100 jobs because the War Office stated that it had not the machinery to maintain modern war vehicles? Will he take steps to ensure that the factory will be made capable of doing such work, for it is in not only a development area but a growth area? The loss of 100 jobs in such a place causes considerable concern.
§ Mr. KirkI appreciate the difficulty, but the level of vehicle repairs of this kind is still falling because of the introduction of the vehicle casting policy, which involves the replacement of heavily worn vehicles by new ones instead of completely stripping and rebuilding old vehicles.