REDUNDANCIES AT DE LA RUE, GATESHEAD

Early day motion 95, tabled 8 December 1998 by John McWilliam (Labour). Signed by 73 members.

That this House condemns the actions of De La Rue, and in particular Mr Mark Jeffries and Mr James Hussey, directors for the Bank Notes Division, in announcing that they intend to proceed with major redundancies at their Gateshead plant, in spite of an agreement reached in July this year with the trade unions, and assurances given to the honourable Member for Blaydon, to accept a maximum of 100 voluntary redundancies and to enter into discussions to improve efficiency and production of Gateshead with a view to maximising employment at the plant; notes that, despite the fact that the required voluntary redundancies have been taken and that proposals to improve efficiency and productivity have already been implemented, the company has begun to starve the plant of work and has now announced that it will save only 25 jobs out of the original 375 redundancy notices; also notes that these actions threaten the future of bank note printing within the UK and the security of supplies of bank notes to the UK's friends and allies overseas, as well as the technological developments at De La Rue's printing plants abroad; and calls upon the company to withdraw these notices forthwith and to comply with the previous agreement.

Signatures by party: Labour 69, Labour/Co-operative 4.