§ 3. Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Industry what are his official engagements for 18th July.
§ Mr. VarleyApart from my responsibilities to this House, I shall be meeting a delegation of trade unionists and chairing a number of meetings with my officials.
§ Mr. JannerWhen my right hon. Friend meets the trade unionists and officials, will he discuss the great problem that still exists in the staple traditional industries of the Midlands, including the footwear industry, which is suffering greatly in the recession? Can he offer any help to this industry?
§ Mr. VarleyI shall not be taking the opportunity of discussing the footwear industry with the particular delegation of trade unionists who will be coming here today. However, I can tell my hon. and learned Friend that the very valuable report of the Footwear Industry Study Steering Group, whose findings are now before us, is being urgently considered within the Department. If at all possible, I shall make a statement about that industry before the recess.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I may as well tell the House that on these shot-in-thedark Questions I propose to call only one hon. Member from each side for a supplementary question.
§ Mr. Michael McNair-WilsonWill any of the trade unionists that the Secretary of State will be meeting come from British Aerospace? If so, will he say whether he has any plans to put before them as regards ways of either the French Government or the British Government buying the remaining unsold Concordes with a view to leasing them out—or, indeed, will he tell us of any other initiatives that he has to ensure that these aircraft are sold, thereby reducing the likely number of redundancies at Weybridge and Filton?
§ Mr. VarleyThe trade unionists coming today will not be discussing Concorde or specifically the aircraft industry. There is a Question later on the Order Paper about that industry.