§ 21. Mr. Iremongerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the proposed closure of Ilford Limited's works at Ilford, with special reference to employment prospects for technical staff with special experience and qualifications.
§ Mr. Chichester-ClarkI understand that the proposed closure of the Ilford works is part of a long-term rationalisation plan for the company's existing sites in Essex, which is expected to include the transfer of research activities to new laboratories at Warley. Significant redundancies are not foreseen. It is still too early to comment on employment prospects for those who may become redundant, but when the time comes all the resources of my Department's employment services, including the professional and executive recruitment service, will be made available as necessary to assist them.
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§ Mr. NottMinisterial salaries were last last increased on 1st April 1972. Taking the internal purchasing power of the £ sterling as 100p in April 1972, its value in March 1973, the latest available date, is estimated to be 92½p. This estimate is based on movements in the General Index of Retail Prices and includes the effects on internal purchasing power of the effective depreciation of the £ sterling over the period. On this basis, ignoring the effects of tax, the relative values of ministerial salaries is as follows:—