§ 2. Mr. Powellasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland it he will make a statement on the discussions the Department of Commerce has had to date with Container Re-furbishing Ltd., Newry, so far as they effect the position of the employees and the prospects for employment.
§ The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr. J. D. Concannon)Recent discussions between Container Refurbishing Limited and my officials have centred on a request that the Government should guarantee the payment of certain grants before the end of November. As the company had not fulfilled one of the conditions upon which the grants were offered, and as other financial information relating to the future trading of the company had not been supplied, I have been unable to accede to the company's request. During these discussions I have been very conscious of the interests of the workers concerned.
§ Mr. PowellWill the Minister of State take it that I am grateful to him for having kept me constantly in touch with the details of the very difficult and regrettable situation that has arisen? Will he assure the House that, within the powers of his Department, he will have regard, first, to the interests of the existing or past employees, and second, to the employment situation in Newry?
§ Mr. ConcannonYes, I think that I can give the right hon. Gentleman assurances on those matters. I have already given them to the workers involved there. But it causes me great distress to find that a group of weekly-paid workers are owed two weeks' wages and monthly-paid workers at least a month's wages. The firm owes its workers a total of nearly £7,500. I find that very distressing, and I shall do all in my power to ensure that the money legally due to them is paid into the pockets of those people as quickly as I can.