PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES - United Kingdom Parliament

421WH
Munitions Workers
26 MARCH 2013
Munitions Workers
422WH
Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP): I
congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing the debate.
He spoke about the numbers. Does he agree that given
that about 70 years have passed, we have a small window
of opportunity? The number of people diminishes year
on year, so we need urgent action.
Robert Flello: I echo everything the hon. Gentleman
has said. Every day that goes by, there are fewer munitions
workers—predominantly women who put their lives on
the line for this country. I think only tens of thousands
would be entitled to a badge.
Mrs Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab): I congratulate
my hon. Friend on securing the debate. Does he agree
that due to the passage of time, relatives like me—my
mother, who would have been 90 this year, was a munitions
worker in the midlands—should be able to apply for
whatever recognition is awarded following the campaign?
Robert Flello: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for her
comments. Where we draw the line has been a concern.
Should the children, grandchildren or more distant
relatives of a munitions worker who is no longer with us
be able to get the badge? In an ideal world, I would
agree with her that the children, and possibly the
grandchildren, of munitions workers should be entitled
to receive the badge on behalf of their loved one, who
sacrificed themselves and put themselves on the line for
this country. As a compromise, given the difficulties
identifying people, the first step would be to recognise
those who are still alive.
As far as the families are concerned, the second part
of what the all-party group is asking for at the moment
is being launched on 15 April: the fundraising launch
for a lasting memorial at the national memorial arboretum.
The memorial would form a permanent reminder, to
which families—children, grandchildren and more distant
relatives—could go. The Roses of Swynnerton—groups
around the country referred to their munitionettes in
different ways—could perhaps take a rose along to it. A
memorial at the arboretum would be a good permanent
reminder for families more widely, but as a first step we
need the recognition for surviving munitions workers.
I assure the Minister that the issue is not party
political. The campaign is an all-party one, and has
support from Members across the House. We are absolutely
committed to working collaboratively and, like the
munitions workers, in a comradely way, with the
Government. We just ask that, rather than seeking
justification for why living munitions workers should be
excluded from the recognition that other groups have
had, the Government consider again how such recognition
can be given. We also ask the Minister to agree that the
danger and cost of giving a badge to someone who
perhaps was not there is far outweighed by the need to
recognise the ever-decreasing group of people who risked
their lives day in, day out. That risk is a price worth
paying.
All I really ask of the Minister is that he consider the
matter with colleagues. My Front-Bench colleagues will
probably hate me for trying to push for a spending
commitment, but we are talking about a few thousand
pounds. The fundraising push for the permanent memorial
seeks to raise £100,000, and the cost of providing a
medal or a badge to the surviving munitions workers is
probably half that amount. The Chancellor will probably
not lose too many nights’ sleep over £50,000, and any
help and support, not least in publicising the fundraising
drive, would be much appreciated.
In closing, I repeat my concern that if we do not
make rapid progress it will be too late for the brave
individuals who worked and risked—often giving up—their
lives at factories such as the Royal Ordnance in Swynnerton.
Those people are all now in at least their mid-80s, and
with every day that passes more of them pass away
without recognition. I therefore again urge the Minister
and his colleagues to review their position. It is only just
and proper that the Government give the Roses of
Swynnerton, and everyone who was employed in the
manufacture of munitions, the formal recognition they
deserve. They went about ensuring, in a quiet and
determined way—almost without raising an eyebrow—that
this country could fight the first and second world wars.
They ensured that there were bullets in the guns that
our brave soldiers were firing, shells in the artillery
pieces, and munitions in the aeroplanes that went up to
defend us. If there had not been, all the work and effort,
and the fact that the lives of our fantastic military
personnel were put on the line, would have come to
nothing.
These people need recognition, and they need it soon.
I therefore urge the Government to put aside concerns
they may have. I hope that in responding to the debate,
the Minister can at least say that he will talk again to
colleagues. To go away and think again would be a good
first level of commitment. Let us give recognition to
these people—predominantly women—who have sacrificed
so much.
Mr Philip Hollobone (in the Chair): As wartime munitions
were manufactured also in my Kettering constituency, it
is my good fortune to have the privilege of chairing this
debate. In a moment, I will call Mr Reckless, and then it
will be Nia Griffith, Phil Wilson, Huw Irranca-Davies
and Russell Brown. I will ask Mr Perkins to start his
speech at no later than 10.40 am, so if you pace yourselves
you will all get in.
9.55 am
Mark Reckless (Rochester and Strood) (Con): I am
particularly interested to hear of your constituency
interest, Mr Hollobone, through Kettering munitions
manufacture.
I congratulate the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent
South (Robert Flello). With the work he has already
done through the all-party group and in securing this
debate, he can take pride in putting the subject on the
agenda, at least in this Parliament, and in so doing
giving recognition to the munitions workers. I am pleased
to bring a cross-party element to the debate by adding
my voice in support of his request. As he states, any
financial sum involved is de minimis compared with the
scale of the contribution that the workers made to our
country.
It was of course David Lloyd George who, as Minister
of Munitions, so strongly put this issue on the agenda in
the years around 1915. The workers had an important
profile at that time, and it would be a great shame were
that not to be recognised. Given what they did to win
the first world war and then, in different conditions,