§ 9. Mr. Maxwellasked the Minister of Transport whether he will now give the estimated cost and completion date given to him by the British Railways Board, in seeking his approval for sanction of capital expenditure for its central design establishment at Derby.
§ Mr. SwinglerMy right hon. Friend has approved capital investment of £1,025,000 by the Railways Board towards the cost of the establishment of a Design and Administration Centre at Derby. This is expected to be completed in the autumn of next year.
§ Mr. MaxwellWill my hon. Friend say what is to happen to the design teams in the railway workshops such as those at Wolverton, and is alternative employment being provided for these excellent people? It would be a great shame if they were lost to the railway workshops.
§ Mr. SwinglerIt is difficult for me to give more information because consultations are taking place between the Railways Board and the representatives of the staff—today, at this moment. But my hon. Friend can rest assured that alternative employment for some of the staff at Wolverton will certainly be 424 offered at Derby, For the others, of course, the normal arrangements for redundancy or offers of alternative employment will be effected.
§ Mr. PowellWhen the right hon. Gentleman says that £1¼ million has been authorised towards the cost of this establishment, does that imply that that is only a fraction of the total cost, and, if so, a large or small fraction?
§ Mr. SwinglerIt is part of a bigger scheme of concentration by the Railways Board, including the headquarters of British Railways Workshops, the research laboratory and the design centre, a scheme which will amount to an investment of about £2½ million. Perhaps I might put out that my right hon. Friend has approved a capital investment of £1,025,000, not 1¼ million, for the establishment of a design centre.