§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has discussed with British Leyland the consequences for their operations in South Africa of the decision of the South African Government to take powers of direction over manufacturing enterprises if that Government consider such direction expedient for their national security; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldI understand that these powers were declared operative in November 1977 and have not yet been used in a specific case. It is too early therefore to assess any implications for British Leyland, but I intend to keep a close watch on developments.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received from the Transport and General Workers Union and the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers about the recognition by British Leyland of African trade unions in their plants in South Africa.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldMy right hon. Friend has received no recent representations on this subject from the TGWU or the AUEW.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will discuss with the management of British Leyland 725W arrangements for ceasing to rely on South Africa for the import of spare parts for Leyland cars in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldI understand that there has been only one recent occasion on which it was necessary to import parts from South Africa to meet a specific stock shortage and I have been assured that the company has no intention of making this a regular practice.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) if he will ensure that any revised plans for the organisation of British Leyland involve the closure of unprofitable plants in South Africa, and will not involve the expansion of output in that country;
(2) if he will ensure that any revised plan for British Leyland will not result in a transfer of operations to South Africa, with the consequence of increased redundancies in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldMy right hon. Friend will not receive until March the NEB's report on the revised corporate plan which British Leyland will be submitting to it. I cannot therefore anticipate at this stage the conclusions which will be reached by the Government on that report.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make it a condition of the supply of public funds to British Leyland that African trade unions within their factories in South Africa are given full recognition and bargaining rights.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldI will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Industry if, in the light of the United Nations mandatory arms embargo against South Africa, he will give a direction to the National Enterprise Board to instruct British Leyland to cease the supply of Land Rovers to the military and the police in South Africa.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldI understand that all Land Rovers sold by British Leyland in South Africa are to standard civilian specifications and the Government do not regard such sales as conflicting with the United Nations arms embargo.