§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the experience of the Defence Standards Authority in recruiting suitable technical staff since its move to Glasgow.
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§ Mr. PattieSome difficulty has been experienced in recruiting suitable candidates for the P and TO III grade. Efforts are continuing, both internally and through advertisement in the local press, to fill the small number of vacancies outstanding.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has received from the Defence Standards Authority of additional travelling and other operational problems resulting from the dispersal to Glasgow.
§ Mr. PattieSince its move to Glasgow in August 1983 the Directorate of Standardisation has quickly settled in and, despite the expected initial loss of efficiency, was soon operating effectively.
The move necessarily increased the travel commitments of staff particularly of those whose duties require them to attend regular meetings in the London area. However, transport links between London and Glasgow are very good and, although travelling time and costs have increased from £6,000 to £80,000 per annum, this has not measurably reduced the operational effectiveness of the directorate.
Some difficulty has been experienced in filling some vacancies, particularly in the electric/electronic field, but similar difficulty was encountered in London. The quality of the new staff is generally high.