§ 24. Mr. Strawasked the Secretary of State for Defence when next he will meet trades union representatives to discuss his plans to privatise the royal ordnance factories.
§ Mr. Ian StewartThere are no immediate plans to introduce private capital into the ROFs. But when the consultative document on the future of the ROFs was issued in October 1982 my noble Friend Lord Trenchard, then Minister of State for Defence Procurement offered to meet trades union representatives to discuss the Government's approach to the personal issues that would arise on a change of status for the royal ordnance factories to a company subject to the Companies Act. We remain ready to respond to any request for such a meeting.