§ Dame Joan Vickersasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in view of the fact that in the past five years the number of employees in Her Majesty's Dockyards has been run-down by 4,000 and that a further plan to decrease the number by 5,000 is under consideration, he is satisfied that all necessary refits will be able to be undertaken by the dockyards; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. David OwenNo plans for a further run-down exist other than the total reduction of 5,000 by the mid 1970s which was announced in the Statement on Defence Estimates 1969. I am satisfied that H.M. Dockyards will be in a position to carry out their planned programmes subject to a satisfactory outcome of the productivity negotiations.