§ 28. Mr. Tom Kingasked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will arrange a meeting with the chairmen of all the nationalised industries.
§ Mr. BennMy right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) on 20th May 1975 that he had received a request to arrange a meeting with the chairmen of the nationalised industries and had agreed to do so in the fairly near future.
§ 29. Mr. Goldingasked the Secretary of State for Industry what general directions he has issued in the last five weeks to chairmen of nationalised industries.
§ Mr. BennI have not issued any general directions to any of the chairmen of the nationalised industries for which I am responsible since I was appointed Secretary of State for Industry.
§ 36. Mr. Russell Johnstonasked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he has made any manpower level comparisons between the nationalised industries in the United Kingdom and the nationalised industries of other member countries of the EEC.
§ Mr. MeacherI regret that such comparisons are not possible because the international sources of statistics do not distinguish the employment of publicly-owned industries.
§ 41. Mr. David Steelasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give figures of manpower levels in nationalised industries under his departmental control for 1964, 1974, and estimates for the next five years.
§ 42. Mr. Cyril Smithasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give figures of manpower levels in nationalised industries under his departmental control 6W for 1964, 1974, and his estimates for the next five years.
§ Mr. Gregor MackenzieFollowing is the information:
Post Office: 1964 … 376,601 1974 … 420,914 1975 … 434,000 British Steel Corporation: 1964 … N/A 1974 … 220,000 1975 … 220,000 Litttle change is expected in Post Office manpower over the next five years. The British Steel Corporation's development plans provide for a reduction to 195,000 by the turn of the decade.