HC Deb 14 June 1965 vol 714 cc17-8
17. Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Minister of Labour how many workers became redundant in Wolverhampton as a result of the cancellation of TSR2; and how many of those still remain to be placed in suitable employment.

Mr. Marsh

Notices have been issued by the firm concerned to 255 workers, but none is due to expire before 18th June. 124 workers have registered at our local offices and of these 46 have been placed, whilst 25 are known to have obtained jobs. I have no information about those who have not registered.

Mrs. Short

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply and ask him if he is aware that there has been redundancy among draughtsmen in many of the firms engaged on sub-contracting work at B.A.C. and that there is considerable concern among those workers who are likely to be redundant in a month or two about their getting less redundancy payment than another firm engaged on TSR2 sub-contracting. Will he and his right hon. Friend look at this and see that there is no discrimination against those workers employed on subcontracting work?

Mr. Marsh

The question of redundancy payments for workers of this type is primarily a question of trade union negotiation until such time as my right hon. Friend's Redundancy Payments Bill becomes law.

29. Mrs. Shirley Williams

asked the Minister of Labour how many employees were made redundant by the cancellation of the TSR2; what proportion of them have been placed in new jobs; and how many are undergoing retraining.

Mr. Marsh

2,802 employees have so far been made redundant and 1,781 have registered with us. 582 have been placed by the Ministry's local offices in new jobs; a further 402 workers are known to have found work. None of the workers is yet undergoing retraining but three applications are under consideration.

Mrs. Williams

May I thank my hon. Friend for that Answer and point out that the rapidity with which workers have been reabsorbed from the TSR2 indicates how much it was a political motive which was behind the scare caused by hon. Members on the opposite side of the House?

Mr. Marsh

Further to that, with which I agree entirely, it has been very interesting to see the way in which these workers who have been displaced have been redeployed. The bulk of the placings have been of workers displaced at Preston and Weybridge. There were 303 placings at Preston and 82 at Weybridge. Placings and those known to have found work total 984. Of these 160 have remained in the aircraft industry; 500 have gone into associated, metal using, industries; 324 have gone into other industries. 653 of them have remained in their own occupation. All the evidence is that this closure has had very valuable economic side effects.

Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

Has the hon. Gentleman asked his right hon. Friend's officers to collect any comments by the workers concerned on this redeployment he has mentioned?

Mr. Marsh

Government by popularity poll may have an appeal for hon. and right hon. Members opposite, but it does not influence this Government.