§ Viscount Cranborneasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the review of the REME static workshops organisation is now complete; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LeeThe report of the review of the REME static workshops has now been considered in detail. It is intended that the static workshop organisation within the United Kingdom will be restructured, leading to the closure of two workshops (38 central workshop at Chilwell, and 33 central workshop at Newark) and the reroling and expansion of certain others. We also intend that more repair of Army equipment will be contracted out to industry at national and local level. The reorganisation proposals, when fully implemented in two and a half to three years time, would result in net overall manpower savings of about 600 civilian posts as well as significant financial savings. The time scale will allow us to re-deploy as many of the staff as possible and to take full advantage of natural wastage and voluntary redundancy. The trade unions have been informed and have been invited to comment on the proposals. I have arranged for the relevant consultative memorandum, which explains the recommendations in detail, to be placed in the Library of the House.