§ Dame Irene Wardasked the President of the Board of Trade, arising out of the General Electric Company and 223W Associated Electrical Industries merger, what transfers of industry or industrial reorganisation are involved; what proposals were submitted to him at the time the merger was under discussion; what were agreed and what were rejected; and if he will take steps to ensure that no additional transfers of industries included in the merger will take place without his agreement.
§ Mr. DarlingAs I told my hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Mayhew) in answer to his Question of 5th February, no indication could be given at the time this merger was considered about the eventual reorganisation of the factories concerned. The firm have now announced that they intend to close two factories at Woolwich and Sydenham and laboratories at Blackheath and Harlow. The work from the laboratories will be transferred to existing laboratories at Wembley and Coventry. Almost all the work from the two factories will be moved to Hartlepools, West Chirton, Aycliffe, Middlesbrough, Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy and Treforest with a small part only to Wellingborough and Coventry. Decisions on the utilisation of capacity are commercial ones for the firm to take, but they have given assurances that such decisions will as far as possible be in line with the Government's regional policies. —[Vol. 758, c. 35–9.]