§ Mr. Burdenasked the Secretary of State for Defence if it is the intention to follow the closure of the foundry in Chatham Dockyard with the closure of the pattern and/or any other parts of the establishment.
§ Dr. David OwenThe closure of the foundry results from a review of production facilities in the Royal Dockyards as a whole with the aim of rationalising capacity and reducing overheads. This review is a continuing one and I cannot at this stage prejudge what its effects may be on other production facilities in the Royal Dockyards. I can, however, give the assurance that the trade unions will continue to be fully consulted as they were on the closure of the foundary at Chatham.
§ Mr. Burdenasked the Secretary of State for Defence if it is the intention to close down Departments in Chatham Dockyard that are an essential part of the organisation and equipment of a dockyard engaged in the construction, repair and refit of conventional naval vessels.
§ Dr. David OwenAll facilities which Chatham Dockyard needs to fulfil its role in the overall Dockyard organisation will be retained.
§ Mr. Burdenasked the Secretary of State for Defence if it is the intention that Chatham Dockyard shall be turned over entirely to the servicing of nuclear submarines.
§ Mr. John MorrisNo. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Royal Navy made this clear in the defence debate on the Navy Estimates on 10th March of this year, and my late right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence for Administration repeated the assurance on 20th March.—[Vol. 779, c. 1037; Vol. 780, c. 815.]
§ Mr. Burdenasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present labour force at Chatham Dockyard; 82W what will be the total labour force there when the Government's full plans for its future have been implemented; and when that will be.
§ Dr. David OwenThe present labour force at Chatham in the General Manager's Department is 5,451 industrials and 1,470 non-industrials. The fall in this labour force, following the reduction in overall Dockyard numbers by the mid-1970s, announced in the Statement on Defence Estimates 1969, is expected to be small.
§ Mr. Burdenasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many men will be affected by the closure of the foundry and any other parts of the establishment of Chatham Dockyard that are to be closed down in future.
§ Dr. David OwenAbout 40 industrials, including 18 founders, are affected by the closure of the foundry.
§ Mr. Burdenasked the Secretary of State for Defence if all the established men in Chatham Dockyard who will be affected by closures will be given alternative employment there without loss of income or status.
§ Dr. David OwenRetraining schemes for the men from the foundry are being discussed with the unions with this aim.