§ 71. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the present level of employment in the Royal Dockyards and main naval bases is to be fully maintained.
§ Mr. Foley:It is impossible to give specific assurances covering any major establishment for an indefinite period of time. So far as we can foresee at present, however, there is unlikely to be any significant change in the level of employment in the Home Dockyards in the next few years, but a comprehensive review of base facilities is being carried out as foreshadowed in the Supplementary Statement on Defence Policy of July 1967.
§ 72. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Secretary of State for Defence what financial cuts are to be imposed on the Royal Dockyards; and whether this will affect the permitted sums which can be spent on overtime payments.
§ Mr. Foley:The financial allocation for H.M. Dockyards for the next financial year has not yet been decided. But it may be that the recent defence cuts will have some small effect on overtime.
137WThis is not yet certain. The planned work-load for all the Dockyards has not been reduced.