HC Deb 11 July 1966 vol 731 cc966-7
52. Mrs. Anne Kerr

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on research being conducted on the alternative forms of employment which could be made available to personnel in the Armed Forces and also to those persons employed on defence contracts in industry, following reductions or changes made in Great Britain's foreign policy commitments.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Mrs. Eirene White)

We have studied the problems of redeployment of manpower which would arise from disarmament and arms control measures. Our general conclusion is we should need only to intensify present resettlement and retraining schemes. I would draw my hon. Friend's attention to the reply which Her Majesty's Government sent last March to a questionnaire dealing with this subject issued by the United Nations Secretary-General a copy of which is in the Library.

Mrs. Kerr

Does my hon. Friend recognise the extent to which the lack of research into the question of the redeployment of these people now employed in the defence industries may accentuate the difficulties which we in the Western world are experiencing with regard to disarmament? Does she not recognise that it is not only those who are now obtaining profits from the arms industries who are affected but large numbers of persons employed in the defence industries who are suffering from the fear of unemployment, and that this affects not only this country but the United States and other Western countries?

Mrs. White

I am afraid a cannot agree. We have considerable experience both of resettling Service men and of redeployment in industry.

Mr. Eldon Griffiths

Would the hon. Lady not agree that many of the British defence personnel are being redeployed to the United States anyway following her policy?