§ 28. Mr. Robert Atkinsasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the proposed redundancies at the royal ordnance factories.
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§ Mr. ButlerI regret that a significant fall in the forward work load, resulting largely from a reduction in the Ministry 's ammunition requirements for 1985–86, made it necessary to announce schemes of redundancy at four royal ordnance factories on 2 November 1984. The total reduction of posts in the worst case will be 1,819 (595 at ROF Birtley, 602 at ROF Bishopton, 145 at ROF Blackburn, 477 at ROF Chorley). These redundancies are in no way due to the impending change of status of the ROFs; as has always been the case, ROF employment levels depend on the state of the order book. All possibilities for additional work continue to be explored.