§ 20. Mr. Burdenasked the Secretary of State for Defence why a team of outside welders and fitters was brought in to carry out recent urgent repairs to a Royal Navy supply vessel at Chatham Dockyard; and what was the extra cost of employing these private contractors.
§ Mr. Foley:This work was put out to contract because the available dockyard labour could not have finished the job in the required time scale. Special diversion of existing dockyard labour is often justified but for this comparatively small job was not considered. Instructions have now been issued to ensure that such diversion of dockyard labour will be considered in future in any similar case. Final costs have not yet been assessed.
§ 56. Mr. Juddasked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from Portsmouth City Council about changed manpower requirements in the Royal Naval dockyards, following the latest Government defence review; what reply he has sent; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Foley:The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth wrote last month expressing concern about the effect of further defence cuts on the City's economy. I have replied that we are now examining urgently how the cuts in defence spending announced by the Prime Minister on 16th January will affect the dockyards. This review is a complicated one and is bound to take some time. I have also made it clear to him that the Portsmouth City Council will be fully informed of our decisions.
§ Mr. Juddasked the Secretary of State for Defence what action he is taking to review the role of naval dockyards in the Government's new defence policy.
§ Mr. Foley:I have nothing to add to what I said in the Adjournment debate on 23rd January, 1968.