Mr. PeterGriffiths asked the Secretary of State for Defence if recruitment into the work force at the Royal Naval dockyard, Portsmouth, will be sufficient to replace the projected rate of retirement over the next five years so that a sufficient and balanced work force can be maintained to meet the needs of the Royal Navy.
§ Mr. SpeedIt is expected that recruitment into the industrial work force at Her Majesty's dockyard Portsmouth will be sufficient to offset retirements over the next five years. However, losses due to other causes—principally voluntary resignation—have been greater in recent years, and, despite intensive recruiting drives, it has not been possible to make good those losses in the required trade balance. The high rate of voluntary resignations has been due primarily to dissatisfaction over pay, which is currently under negotiation.