§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity to what extent guarantees were sought and given to her department concerning the continuation of production and employment at the General Electric Company-Associated Electrical Industries switch-gear factory at Willesden at the time the merger was approved; and what were the numbers employed at that time.
§ Mr. FernyhoughNo guarantees about the future of the Willesden factory were sought or given to my Department at the time of the merger between G.E.C. and A.E.I. The factory employed 1,479 workers at that time but the present figure is nearer 1,100.
§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what study is being made by her department of the employment consequences of ceasing to manufacture switchgear in Willesden.
§ Mr. FernyhoughThe effect of a substantial redundancy in an area of relatively low unemployment such as North London depends to a large extent on the timing and phasing of the dismissals. Until this has been decided no more than 181W a preliminary assessment of the consequences of the proposed cessation of switchgear manufacture at Willesden is possible.