§ Mr. Burdenasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now give an undertaking that the workforce at Chatham Dockyard will not be cut back and that it will continue to be fully employed in the repairs and refit of nuclear submarines and Royal Navy surface ships.
§ Mr. JuddChatham Dockyard has a full programme of naval and other defence work including that on nuclear submarines and surface ships for the foreseeable future. I cannot predict what effect the Defence Review may have, but if it were to lead to a reduction in defence work below the capacity available action would be initiated to switch the surplus to other productive work.