§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the transfer of the joint speech research unit from Government communications headquarters, Cheltenham, to the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment at Malvern.
§ Mr. Norman LamontThe joint speech research unit will move from the Government communications headquarters, Cheltenham, to the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment, Malvern, over the winter of 1985–86 with 1 November 1985 as the formal date of transfer. The JSRU conducts research into automatic speech recognition and synthesis. Its further role has been under consideration for some time and the merging of the unit with RSRE activities on automatic speech recognition, and related work such as image processing and general signal processing, will be the most beneficial arrangement for the long term progress of the work.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence if staff transferred from Government communications headquarters, Cheltenham, to the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment at Malvern will be permitted to join a trade union; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Norman LamontStaff transferred from the Government communications headquarters, Cheltenham, to the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment, Malvern, as a result of the move of the joint speech research unit will be eligible, like other RSRE staff, to join a trades union.