§ 27. Mr. Wallasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the closing of the tannery at Beverley; and how many jobs will be lost.
Mr. Alan WilliamsAt the end of February, British Tanners Products Ltd. announced that the shareholders were injecting £3 million share capital to finance the plans for rationalisation. I understand that those plans include closure of most of the tannery at Beverley, which employs about 1,000 people of whom some 750 to 800 are likely to be made redundant. I regret that these jobs are to be lost and, as the honourable Member312W knows, I have discussed the position at length with Beverley County Council and with the union representatives.