PREM19/1871: Nationalised Industries (Shipbuilding policy; British Shipbuilders) (Part 10)

Source:	TNA, PREM19 series
Release date:	2016 Jul 21
Classification:	Confidential
Page count:	268
Any docs withheld?	1

Date	Value	Title
86 May 1 Th	Major	Nationalised Industries: Cabinet Office minute to No.10 ("British Shipbuilders and the North East") ["I now understand from BS themselves... that the statement planned for 14 May... is likely to reveal plans for redundancies of nearly 4,000... The occasion for this statement is a meeting on 14 May with the unions to begin wage negotiations..."] [declassified Jul 2016]
86 May 2 Fr	Major	Nationalised Industries: Channon letter to Whitelaw ("British Shipbuilders: the next steps") ["... the BS Board feels very strongly... that they should brief the unions..., publicly announcing both the closures and the other major changes in employment practices when they open their negotiations on pay"] [declassified Jul 2016]
86 May 7 We	Major	Nationalised Industries: No.10 Policy Unit minute to MT ("British Shipbuilders") ["With privatisation... completed... The preferred BS scenario is now to slim down... This is sure to create both a political and a trade union row... We recommend that the BS proposals be accepted and that David Young comes forward urgently with his measures to help support the North East"] [declassified Jul 2016]
86 May 7 We	Major	Nationalised Industries: Lord Young minute to MT ("British Shipbuilders: the next steps") ["... impending redundancies... need for us to consider the action that we should take to offset the effects on the worst hit areas of the North East"] [declassified Jul* 2016]*
86 May 7 We	Major	Nationalised Industries: Cabinet Office briefing for MT ("British Shipbuilders") ["... main issue is whether there is any case for seeking to delay or influence... the proposed announcement by... (BS)... of their intention to close three yards; whether the Government should announce an employment initiative to ameliorate the effects on the North East; and if so, how it should be financed"] [declassified Jul 2016]
86 May 12 Mo	Major	Nationalised Industries: Cabinet Office minute to Lord Young ("British Shipbuilders (BS): establishment of Enterprise Corporation and other measures to assist the areas hardest hit by redundancies") [declassified Jul 2016]
86 May 14 We	Major	Nationalised Industries: No.10 letter to Channon PS ("British Shipbuilders") [MT approves No.10 suggested amendments to Channon draft statement for Parliament: "... the financial support provided by the Government is as good as the best in the world. The problem is that the orders simply are not there to be won. This is an international problem..."] [declassified Jul 2016]
86 May 14 We	Major	Nationalised Industries: Lord Young minute to MT ("British Shipbuilders: Government Response") ["...package of proposals we have put together to meet the situation created by the impending BS redundancies"] [declassified Jul* 2016]*
86 May 19 Mo	Major	Nationalised Industries: Channon PS letter to Wakeham PS ("Shipbuilding Debate: 21 May 1986) [Government Motion: "... massive slump in demand... cutbacks in shipyards... package of measures to provide special assistance to those affected"] [declassified Jul* 2016]*
86 May 22 Th	Major	Nationalised Industries: No.10 minute to MT ("Fleet Support King 20/20") ["You were sceptical of the position that the Royal Navy should be supplied from a small number of large, armed and very expensive ships... I attach a letter from the MOD setting out the arguments for their decision..."] [declassified Jul 2016]
86 May 22 Th	Major	Nationalised Industries: No.10 minute to MT (Sunderland) [MT agrees to meeting with delegation to discuss difficulties facing the area following British Shipbuilders redundancies] [declassified Jul* 2016]*
86 May 23 Fr	Minor	Nationalised Industries: No.10 minute: Wicks to Flesher (All Party Committee on Shipping) [request to meet with MT] [declassified Jul* 2016]*
86 May 28 We	Major	Nationalised Industries: Ridley minute to MT ("British Shipbuilders: Government response") ["...[following redundancies] case for an urban development corporation in Middlesborough and dispersal of Government work to the North East..."] [declassified Jul* 2016]*
86 Jun 5 Th	Major	Nationalised Industries: Cabinet Office minute to No.10 ("The shipbuilding industry") ["[My] report will contain some recommendations in its own right. It will also, however, provide the background to a number of specific operational questions due to come to Ministers in the next few weeks"] [declassified Jul 2016]
86 Jun 20 Fr	Major	Nationalised Industries: No.10 briefing for MT ("Meeting with deputation from Sunderland") [impact of British Shipbuilders redundancies; strategy for winning more orders; economic support for regeneration in Sunderland] [declassified Jul* 2016]*
86 Jun 20 Fr	Major	Nationalised Industries: Channon minute to MT ("Swan Hunter") ["It seems totally unacceptable that we should go back on our promise to Swan Hunter because of a VAT technicality... I very much hope therefore that George Younger will feel able now to award the second Type 23 frigate to Swan Hunter in line with the Cabinet decision"] [declassified Jul 2016]
86 Jun 20 Fr	Major	Nationalised Industries: Cabinet Office minute to No.10 ("The UK shipbuilding industry") ["I was asked at E(A) to produce an interdepartmental report... describe[s] the existing state of the industry; assesses propects...; examines the case for Government intervention... The picture is a very sombre one"] [declassified Jul 2016]
86 Jun 23 Mo	Major	Nationalised Industries: No.10 record of conversation (MT, Channon, Lord Young, George Young, deputation from Sunderland) [impact of British Shipbuilders redundancies; strategy for winning more orders; economic support for regeneration in Sunderland] [declassified Jul* 2016]*
86 Jun 24 Tu	Minor	Nationalised Industries: Chief Executive of Sunderland Council letter to MT (economic support for regeneration in Sunderland following shipbuilding redundancies) ["We were much encouraged by your interest in and support for our proposals... Is there some way your interest could be used to secure... private sector interest in the town...?"] [declassified Jul 2016]
86 Jun 30 Mo	Major	Nationalised Industries: King PS letter to No.10 ("Shipbuilding") [Harland & Wolff: scope for savings] [declassified Jul* 2016]*

86 May 1 Th

Major

Nationalised Industries: Cabinet Office minute to No.10 ("British Shipbuilders and the North East") ["I now understand from BS themselves... that the statement planned for 14 May... is likely to reveal plans for redundancies of nearly 4,000... The occasion for this statement is a meeting on 14 May with the unions to begin wage negotiations..."] [declassified Jul 2016]

86 May 2 Fr

Major

Nationalised Industries: Channon letter to Whitelaw ("British Shipbuilders: the next steps") ["... the BS Board feels very strongly... that they should brief the unions..., publicly announcing both the closures and the other major changes in employment practices when they open their negotiations on pay"] [declassified Jul 2016]

86 May 7 We

Major

Nationalised Industries: No.10 Policy Unit minute to MT ("British Shipbuilders") ["With privatisation... completed... The preferred BS scenario is now to slim down... This is sure to create both a political and a trade union row... We recommend that the BS proposals be accepted and that David Young comes forward urgently with his measures to help support the North East"] [declassified Jul 2016]

86 May 7 We

Major

Nationalised Industries: Lord Young minute to MT ("British Shipbuilders: the next steps") ["... impending redundancies... need for us to consider the action that we should take to offset the effects on the worst hit areas of the North East"] [declassified Jul 2016]