§ Mr. Cyril Smithasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers at paper mills have been made redundant since 1967.
§ Mr. GoldingUntil the redundancy provisions of the Employment Protection Act came into force on 8th March 1976, employers were under no obligation to notify redundancies. Records of those notified are available from 1st January 1969 only. I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that, subject to these qualifications, the numbers of workers employed in the manufacture of paper and board, packaging products of paper, board and associated materials and stationery and wallpaper, who have been recorded as having been made redundant, are as follows:
1969 3,370 1970 5,010 1971 11,260 1972 3,440 1973 2,240 1974 970 1975 5,050 1976 (January-March) 910* Total 32,250 * This figure is provisional.