Mr William Taylor: It seems to me that the first part of that question should be addressed to the Service Departments. My Department can deal only with the question of the disposal of surplus material which is made available to my Department for disposal.
Mr William Taylor: As I said in reply to a Question last week, there is only one effective way of dealing with this matter, and that is to sell the surplus goods by auction. The alternative method would be to sell by tender, which would involve increasing the number of people engaged in this work, and I do not think that would be desired. There is no evidence of any "rigging" in this matter. Steps are taken...
Mr William Taylor: The remarks of the right hon. Gentleman will be noted by the Departments concerned.
Mr William Taylor: No undertaking has been given to make a review. What I said last week was that I would look into the system under which these goods were sold, but I did not hold out any promise at that time that there would be any material alteration in the present method.
Mr William Taylor: That seems to me to be a question of which we should be given notice.
Mr William Taylor: The present requirements of the Service Departments would not justify reopening the factory, which is on a care-and-maintenance basis.
Mr William Taylor: This is a question of the Service Departments' requirements for particular materials made in this factory. There has been no use for this factory. It has special plant, and the plant cannot be used for commercial purposes. In view of the declining requirements of the Service Departments for explosives, it is impossible to carry on this factory in the way that it used to be carried on up to 1945.
Mr William Taylor: The present approach road to the new testing ground will not be able to handle traffic to and from the ground when it is in use. The Cumberland County Council, which is the local highway authority, was asked to prepare a scheme for its improvement. To avoid a steep hill, it was proposed that a diversion should run through the grounds of the Gilsland Co-operative Convalescent Home. However,...
Mr William Taylor: I appreciate the anxiety of the hon. Lady the Member for Coventry, South (Miss Burton) in this matter as it affects her constituency in Coventry. If I may say so, she has covered a great deal of ground in the minimum of time, and I will try, in the limited time left to me, to reply to the many important points which she has raised. I regret very much that one of the first firms to suffer...
Mr William Taylor: Is this at Blackpool?
Mr William Taylor: I very fully appreciate the concern of the hon. Members who have spoken in this debate about the possible effects of the reductions in defence work in the Gloucester area. The Government realise that their plans for reducing defence expenditure may well mean hardship to some individuals, though these should represent only a very small minority. But it is an essential part of the plan...
Mr William Taylor: My right hon. Friend regards it as a moral, if no other, responsibility to sponsor and encourage the aircraft industry wherever he possibly can. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that any influence that my right hon. Friend can use in the direction just indicated will certainly be used. I should not, however, like the House to think that we have done nothing to assist the Gloster Aircraft...
Mr William Taylor: I must say that my information is that the firm's estimate is very far short of that figure. Its figure is about 800 more, that is, in addition to those already discharged. I do not have the precise figure of those already discharged. I think it will, in any case, be less than the gross figure mentioned by the hon. Member.
Mr William Taylor: Perhaps the hon. Member will wait until I have completed my speech. I hope that I shall have something of a more general character to say, but I was entitled to assume that this question related primarily or principally to those firms in the area which the hon. Member for Gloucestershire, West represents. I was saying that I would not like the House to think that we have done nothing to...
Mr William Taylor: Our commercial and Service attaches at foreign embassies supplement the efforts of the firms' own overseas agents in transmitting information about our products. Classified information may be passed through official channels to friendly Governments and special security agreements have been negotiated to permit equipment developed in this country to be manufactured under licence abroad....
Mr William Taylor: My right hon. Friend already has satisfactory arrangements for consultation with the trades unions through the Ministry of Supply Joint Industrial Council, of which I am the Chairman. The Council has frequently discussed the question of civil work in the Royal Ordnance factories. My right hon. Friend also discussed at a special meeting of the Council the future of the Royal Ordnance...
Mr William Taylor: I cannot give any such assurance. I can say that my right hon. Friend is satisfied that the existing machinery in the Ministry of Supply for consultation with trade unions, both at headquarters and factory level, is adequate.
Mr William Taylor: Discussions are taking place with British Railways which, I hope, may lead to work fitting for this Factory and which will not interfere with the main production lines.
Mr William Taylor: The question of the utilisation of Royal Ordnance factories is receiving the attention of my right hon. Friend. I will convey to him what the hon. Member has said, but I cannot accept all his implications.
Mr William Taylor: The future of these and the other Royal Ordnance factories is under consideration at the present time. My right hon. Friend hopes to make an announcement shortly.
