§ 20. Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has now completed his consideration of the proposals to safeguard the Dundee watch industry made to him by the joint shop stewards committee at Timex Dundee.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherAs my right hon. Friend and I promised when we met representatives of the Timex employees on 3 February, we have approached the company to establish whether the joint shop stewards committee's proposals provide a basis on which a viable investment programme could be put forward. Discussions are currently taking place with the company about a training and investment programme which covers several of the proposals put forward by the trades unions to secure employment at the plant. The company has, howver, enphasised that the redundancies announced on 10 January must stand and that, though some watchmaking will be retained, the best prospects for growth in the future are on the electronics side of the business.