§ 7. Mr. Allan Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give assurances that his policy towards National Giro will not mean any reduction in its activities or its potential for employment in Bootle.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Industry (Mr. Michael Marshall)The Government expect the National Girobank to compete on equal terms with other bodies offering similar services. Subject to that, the level of Girobank employment in Bootle is a matter for the Post Office Board.
§ Mr. RobertsWill the Minister please go further than that reply, if possible, to reassure the 3,500 people who are employed by Giro in Bootle, and will he state publicly that Giro is a good example of public ownership which is effective and profitable? Also, will he give an assurance that he will look at the possibility of expanding Giro to make it the banker of the nationalised industries and to give it the Paymaster General's work? Will he also consider amalgamating Giro with the National Savings Bank and expanding Giro to create a State bank?
§ Mr. MarshallTo the second part of the hon. Gentleman's question I can certainly answer "No, Sir". In order to be helpful—and I recognise the concern of the hon. Gentleman and of his predecessor as Member for Bootle—I can say in answer to the first part that as far as we are aware the Post Office Board has no proposals to reduce employment in Bootle.
§ Mr. HefferWill the hon. Gentleman give an assurance that there will be an expansion of Giro activities, given that these bring a great deal of work not only to Bootle but to all other parts of Merseyside, including my constituency? In view of the high levels of unemployment, it would be absolutely disastrous if we did not have a clear policy of expansion for Giro.
§ Mr. MarshallThe Government's attitude towards the expansion of Giro is that if Giro is competing on fair and equal terms it has every opportunity, but that is distinctly a matter between Giro and the Post Office Board in the future.