HC Deb 10 July 1969 vol 786 cc1548-9
3. Mr. Ogden

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what action she is taking to ensure the provision of acceptable alternative employment for those made redundant by reorganisation at the English Electric group of companies on Merseyside and in Lancashire.

The Under-Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity (Mr. E. Fernyhough)

My local officers will be making special arrangements to help redundant workers who require advice or assistance in obtaining other employment. The majority of those involved have some skill or technical qualification and there are good prospects of their finding other work. On present evidence it appears unlikely that the measures for reorganisation announced by the General Electric and English Electric Companies Ltd., will lead to any significant increase in local unemployment in Merseyside and Lancashire.

Mr. Ogden

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Is he satisfied with the co-ordination between his Ministry, the Board of Trade, the Department of Economic Affairs and other Ministries involved? Is he aware of the very real concern on Merseyside about the threatened closure of the Netherton plant?

Mr. Fernyhough

I assure my hon. Friend that all the Ministries concerned about employment keep closely in touch. The Netherton factory is one of the group currently under review, but so far I am not aware of any firm decision having been taken.

Mr. Tilney

When companies are amalgamated for greater efficiency, what action is taken by the Minister to urge concentration of work in development areas rather than in areas where there is no unemployment at all?

Mr. Fernyhough

The whole policy of the Government has been directed towards that end. There would be something very unbusinesslike and uncommercial in any firm in a development area transferring its work to an outside area and thus losing the very good financial benefits which accrue through our regional policy.

Mr. Heffer

Is my hon. Friend aware that this work concerned with diesel engines is being transferred to Colchester and Lincoln and that the firm can guarantee only 130 personnel being transferred to those factories? As we have a most serious unemployment problem on Merseyside and there is no guarantee that all these workers' skill will be employed, will he represent to his right hon. Friends that action must be taken to ensure employment for them?

Mr. Fernyhough

The vast majority of these people are skilled or semiskilled. Our local officers believe that because of their skills there will not be any great difficulty in finding alternative employment for the overwhelming majority of them.