§ Miss Fookesasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about manning in Her Majesty's dockyard, Devonport.
§ Mr. SpeedThe Royal dockyards, in common with all Ministry of Defence departments, have to achieve savings in civilian manpower costs this year to meet the Civil Service pay bill cash limits for 1980–81 announced by the Minister of 195W State, Civil Service Department, in this House on 14 March last.—[Vol. 980, c. 748–9.] These economies will be found mainly by a mixture of reducing numbers employed and overtime levels. Devon-port dockyard has been given target planning figures for 1 April 1981; but consideration is still being given to the most equitable and efficient way of achieving these economies.
§ Miss Fookesasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many apprentices completed their training at Devonport Dockyard in 1973, 1975 and 1978; and how many of each intake are still employed there at the latest convenient date; and if he will give the figures for the intake of apprentices in 1978 and 1980.
§ Mr. SpeedAt Her Majesty's dockyard Devonport 212 apprentices completed their training in 1975 and 287 in 1978. I regret that information is not available for 1973 or for the numbers in each intake who are still employed in the dockyard. In 1978, 288 apprentices were entered. The intake for 1980 has not been decided, but the target figure being used for planning purposes is of a similar order to those of 1976 and 1977, approximately 260.