asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that the conditions of service of employees of the royal ordnance factories have been adequately protected following the transfer of Royal Ordnance pic to the private sector.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody) on 26 January 1987 at column 132 . Employees of Royal Ordnance pic will have the normal protection provided by the law in maintaining their terms and conditions of service.