§ Mr. Coldrickasked the Secretary of State for Air (1) the proposed changes in the area boundaries, as a result of the amalgamation of No. 12 Works Area with that of No. 14, and their concentration in Exeter;
(2) how many people are likely to become redundant in consequence of his Department's decision to amalgamate No. 12 Works Area Headquarters with that of No. 14 Works Area;
(3) to what extent, in deciding to amalgamate No. 12 Works Area Headquarters at Bristol with that of No. 14 Works Area at Launceston to form a new headquarters 29W at Exeter, he has considered the extra cost that will be involved in the personnel travelling from Exeter to service the Royal Air Force stations, most of which are in the Bristol area.
Mr. WardInitially the new Works Area will cover the whole of the region at present divided between Nos. 12 and 14 Works Areas. We intend later to transfer some of the northern R.A.F. units, including Bristol itself, to another Works Area. The headquarters at Exeter will then be more central to the stations it administers. The amalgamation will save over sixty posts in different grades. Established staff not required at Exeter will be transferred to vacancies elsewhere. I cannot yet say how many unestablished staff will have to be discharged but I hope that it may not be much more than twenty.