Ship-Repairing Industry (Redundancy Payments)

45.

Dame Irene Ward
asked the Minister of Labour whether he will now make a statement on the application of the Redundancy Payments Act to the ship-repairing industry.

Mrs. Williams
I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Lady on Monday, 25th April.

Dame Irene Ward
But the Answer given on 25th April said that progress was being made. When are we to have this report? Or are the Government more interested in the transport and general workers than they are in the workers working in ship-repairing yards? We on Tyneside are very interested in this matter. I want to know when we will get action. Could we have a list of how many actions the Department is committed to this Session?

Mrs. Williams
The hon. Lady was informed in answer to her last Question on the point that a series of joint meetings were in progress. This was allowed for in the case of particular industries under the Redundancy Payments Act. If she wants things to be speeded up, she should raise the matter elsewhere and not with my Department.

Mr. Blenkinsop
Is my hon. Friend aware that we on this side of the House are fully aware of and very happy about  the amount of progress being made in these discussions which are giving new hope to the ship-building industry in this country?

Dame Irene Ward
rose—

Dame Joan Vickers
Is the hon. Lady able to answer a Question which I put previously as to whether the Royal Dockyards will be included in these discussions?

Mrs. Williams
Yes. I understand that the employers in the Royal Docks are governed by arrangements for industrial civil servants which make provision for redundancy on a slightly different basis.