§ Mr. Daggarasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has considered a communication from the clerk to a conference of local authorities, held at Newport, Monmouthshire, on 2nd August, regarding the dismissal of persons at the Royal Ordnance and other war factories; and will he state the nature of his reply.
§ Sir S. CrippsI received the communication to which my hon. Friend refers on 13th August, and am in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply about it.
§ Mr. Murrayasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the dissatisfaction among the inhabitants in the town of Spennymoor, he will explain the reason for the long delay in the turning-over from war production at the Royal Ordnance factory to peace-time production; and what immediate steps he is proposing to take to remove the persons or causes responsible for the delay.
§ Sir S. CrippsUp to V.J. day the whole of this Royal Ordnance factory was required for war production. Steps, however, had been taken in advance to constitute this Royal Ordnance factory a Trading Estate under the North Eastern Trading Estate Company. The first peace-time occupants, Messrs. Smart and Brown, will be moving into part of the factory at the end of this month, and others will follow. It is planned that this factory should soon provide employment for at least 2,000 people, rising to a higher figure later on.
§ Mr. Peter Freemanasked the President of the Board of Trade the terms and conditions of any arrangements made for sub-letting the Royal Ordnance factory at Newport.
§ Sir S. CrippsThis factory is to be leased to Standard Telephones and Cables, Limited, on the terms which will apply to the re-allocation of Government factories generally. These terms will provide for a short-period rent based on 1939 values, to be adjusted later in accordance with current market values. The lease will provide that the factory shall not, except in special circumstances, be assigned or underlet by the lessee.