§ 50. Mr. ROBERT HARCOURTasked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been directed to the Trade Disputes Law (Amendment) Bill, presented by the Noble Lord the Member for the Hitchin Division of Hertfordshire and other Members of the Opposition, which proposes under certain conditions to restore the civil liability of trade unions in respect of tortious Acts, and further proposes that all pickets must wear a badge showing conspicuously the word "picket"; and whether His Majesty's Government have any intention of themselves proposing legislation of such a character?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir Rufus Isaacs)His Majesty's Government have no intention of proposing legislation of such a character.
§ Lord ROBERT CECILIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that so much of the Bill referred to as deals with the civil liability of trade unions is identical with the Bill introduced by the present Government in 1906—a Bill which was described by the Prime Minister as the simplest and most practicable way of dealing with the difficulty?
Sir RUFUS ISSACSThe policy was settled by Parliament when the Trade Disputes Bill was passed.
§ Mr. ROBERT HARCOURTHas the hon. and learned Gentleman any means of judging how far these proposals represent the general policy of' the Opposition?