asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on Government consultations with Hawker-Siddeley Aviation, the British Aircraft Corporation, Rolls-Royce and Westlands to assist the orderly redeployment of valuable skills to non-defence work.

Consultation with these firms has enabled them to assess the effect of the programme changes on their workloads and to make plans for any necessary redeployment with the minimum of hardship and wastage. The facilities of the Manpower Services Commission are available to help workers needing new jobs.