§ Mr. NEEDHAMasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the number of trade disputes in which the assistance of the Board of Trade has been employed under the Conciliation Act of 1896, and the number of workpeople directly concerned in such disputes; and if he will give the figures separately for each of the years since the Act came into force?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Buxton)I will circulate with the Votes a statement giving in detail the information asked for by my hon. Friend so far as available. I may say that the total number of trade disputes in which the Board of Trade have taken action under the Conciliation Act, 1896, has been 467, of which 215 involved an actual stoppage of work. The number of workpeople affected in these 215 disputes were 555,000. This total is exclusive of a very large but unascertainable number of persons affected by disputes which were settled without any stoppage occurring.
§ Mr. FIELDasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Government will consider the advisability of introducing legislation to deal with labour disputes upon the lines of the Canadian statute which has been utilised successfully to settle disputes amicably without recourse to compulsion?
§ Mr. BUXTONI am well aware of the Act referred to by my hon. Friend, but I do not think I can at present usefully add anything to the answers which have been given recently in the House by the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend with regard to proposals for dealing with the prevention and settlement of trade disputes. The whole matter is receiving very careful consideration.
§ Mr. NEEDHAMasked whether, in considering any plan which might tend to prevent or shorten industrial warfare, due weight would be given to the importance of any tribunal or office which may be set up being entirely free from political control?
§ Mr. BUXTONIn dealing with this very difficult matter due weight will be given to all relevant considerations.