Ryder Report (British Leyland)
Encyclopedia
The Ryder Report was the official report produced for the Government of the United Kingdom in 1975 by Sir Don Ryder
, newly appointed head of the UK
's National Enterprise Board
who was given the task of reporting on the British Leyland Motor Corporation
and listing recommendations for its future.
The report, titled "British Leyland: The Next Decade", was prepared by a team that included Bob Clark (Chairman of Hill Samuel), Fred MacWhirter (a senior partner of Peats) and Sam Gillen (the ex-head of Ford
UK and Ford of Europe). It was passed to Tony Benn
on 26 March 1975, only 14 weeks after commission.
At the time the company was in poor state. It had come about from the consolidation and merger of Britain's car and road vehicle companies and their related businesses, including tractor
s. Production of many competing models was spread across several locations at sites that had a strong and vocal trade union
presence. The report was optimistic about the company, suggesting that it would be likely to keep its one-third share of the UK car market. There were no recommendations for plant closures, but for comprehensive organisational changes to the management structure.
The report recommended capital expenditure
of £1,264 million from the government, backed up with a working capital of £260 million. If this was not taken it would be seen that the government had allowed the UK's leading car company to collapse and fail – a result that could have led to around one million people being put out of work.
The result of adopting the report was the effective nationalization
of BLMC. The company known largely just as "BL" would continue, although its troubles were not over.
Don Ryder
Sydney Thomas Franklin Ryder, Baron Ryder of Eaton Hastings , known as Don Ryder, was a businessman and Labour peer...
, newly appointed head of the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's National Enterprise Board
National Enterprise Board
-History:The National Enterprise Board was set up in the United Kingdom in 1975 to implement the Wilson Labour government's objective of extending public ownership of industry...
who was given the task of reporting on the British Leyland Motor Corporation
British Leyland Motor Corporation
British Leyland was a vehicle manufacturing company formed in the United Kingdom in 1968 as British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd . It was partly nationalised in 1975 with the government creating a new holding company called British Leyland Ltd which became BL Ltd in 1978...
and listing recommendations for its future.
The report, titled "British Leyland: The Next Decade", was prepared by a team that included Bob Clark (Chairman of Hill Samuel), Fred MacWhirter (a senior partner of Peats) and Sam Gillen (the ex-head of Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
UK and Ford of Europe). It was passed to Tony Benn
Tony Benn
Anthony Neil Wedgwood "Tony" Benn, PC is a British Labour Party politician and a former MP and Cabinet Minister.His successful campaign to renounce his hereditary peerage was instrumental in the creation of the Peerage Act 1963...
on 26 March 1975, only 14 weeks after commission.
At the time the company was in poor state. It had come about from the consolidation and merger of Britain's car and road vehicle companies and their related businesses, including tractor
Tractor
A tractor is a vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used in agriculture or construction...
s. Production of many competing models was spread across several locations at sites that had a strong and vocal trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
presence. The report was optimistic about the company, suggesting that it would be likely to keep its one-third share of the UK car market. There were no recommendations for plant closures, but for comprehensive organisational changes to the management structure.
The report recommended capital expenditure
Capital expenditure
Capital expenditures are expenditures creating future benefits. A capital expenditure is incurred when a business spends money either to buy fixed assets or to add to the value of an existing fixed asset with a useful life extending beyond the taxable year...
of £1,264 million from the government, backed up with a working capital of £260 million. If this was not taken it would be seen that the government had allowed the UK's leading car company to collapse and fail – a result that could have led to around one million people being put out of work.
The result of adopting the report was the effective nationalization
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
of BLMC. The company known largely just as "BL" would continue, although its troubles were not over.