§ Mr. CLYNESasked the President of the Board of Trade, with respect to the intervention in the recent dock and shipping disputes of representatives of his Department, whether he has any information showing the number of cases where stoppages were provoked by employers seeking to suppress trade unions and refusing to meet or deal with the workmen's officials; and whether, as employers' associations must always be recognised by workmen, he can take any step to secure permanent recognition for the men's association as a first step to dealing further with the Prime Minister's announcement that the Government would attend to any feasible and properly supported plan to prevent or shorten industrial warfare?
Mr. BUXTONI regret that I am not in a position to furnish the information asked for in the first part of the question, which involves matters of opinion. As regards the latter part, I do not think I can with 1514 advantage say more at present than that I shall always be glad to receive and consider any practical proposals for giving effect to the announcement of the Prime Minister.