§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set out in detail the proposals he made to Sealink Stena covering redundancy arrangements following the announcement of impending redundancies.
§ Mr. ForthMy right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has made no proposals to Sealink Stena regarding redundancy arrangements. As Member of Parliament for Folkestone and Hythe, my right hon. and learned Friend, in consultation with others in the area, has established the Sealink Stena action group. The group is co-ordinating and providing practical assistance and guidance for employees whose jobs are being lost, with the aim of getting those affected back to work at the earliest possible opportunity. Other participants in the group include the hon. Member for Dover (Mr. Shaw), Kent training and enterprise council, the Employment Service, the Sealink Stena company, other local businesses, local enterprise agencies, and the county and district councils.
Assistance being channelled through the group includes on-site job shops displaying vacancies in the local and surrounding areas; jobsearch workshops providing advice and guidance on such matters as job applications and interviews; advice on training and self-employment; and offers of office and workshop accommodation.
The Employment Service and training and enterprise councils in other areas affected by these redundancies are all taking action within their normal range of responsibilities to alleviate the effect of these job losses.