HC Deb 12 March 1965 vol 708 cc172-4W
Mr. Hamling

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many machine tools were located at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Woolwich, on 4th December, 1963; what types they were; how many have been disposed of to date, and to whom; and what will be the method of disposal of the remainder.

Mr. Mulley

On 4th December, 1963, there were about 4,000 machine tools at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Woolwich. They included boring, drilling, grinding, milling, planing, welding and woodworking machines, lathes of different types, presses and sheet metal working machines, some specialised machines, and a variety of tools of a general engineering nature. About 400 machine tools have been disposed of so far, of which roughly half have been transferred to other Royal Ordnance factories or other Government Departments and half sold. Of the remainder, nearly 400 have already been earmarked for other Royal Ordnance Factories or Ministry of Defence units. The rest will be used to meet any further needs in other Royal Ordnance Factories, other units of the Ministry of Defence and other Government Departments, in that order. Any machine tools then remaining will be sold.

Mr. Hamling

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what terms on abolition of office will be offered to those established employees at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Woolwich, who cannot be given alternative equivalent Government employment in the district and who by virtue of age would not be expected to move to another part of the country.

Mr. Reynolds

Abolition of office terms i.e. immediate payment, regardless of age, of the pension or lump sum (or both) earned by service cannot be granted if other Government employment is available within the United Kingdom.

I wrote most fully to the hon. Gentleman on 10th March.

Mr. Hamling

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many employees over 50 years of age will be declared redundant due to the closure of the Royal Ordnance Factory, Woolwich; how many of them will be established civil servants; how many unestablished; how many of them will be classed as skilled; and how many unskilled.

Mr. Mulley

At 1st March, 1,681 employees at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Woolwich, were over 50 years of age. Details are as follows:

Non-industrials
Established 376 (including 30 women)
Unestablished 16 (including 5 women)
Industrials
Established, skilled 309
Established, non-skilled 849 (including 28 women)
Unestablished, skilled 14
Unestablished, non-skilled 117 (including 67 women)

Not all of them will be declared redundant but it is not possible to forecast which individuals will remain in jobs on the Arsenal site or in other Government employment.