§ 51. Mr. PETOasked whether the evidence already submitted to the Committee of the Cabinet, which has been considering the subject of industrial unrest, will be laid before the Industrial Council?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt would not be possible to lay the evidence submitted to the Committee of the Cabinet before the Industrial Council. The evidence has been purely oral, and no detailed notes have been taken. Witnesses have been informed that any evidence they gave would be treated as confidential and divulged to no one.
§ 52. Mr. PETOasked whether the Industrial Council will sit continuously, and whether the subjects which they are considering will be dealt with separately and successively; and whether it is the intention to publish the. Report of the Council; and, if so, whether interim Reports will be published from time to time as the consideration of each separate subject is completed?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. J. M. Robertson)I am informed that the Industrial Council propose to sit to hear evidence on two days in each week. The order in which the questions referred to the Council are dealt with is a matter for 1841 the discretion of the Council. It is intended to publish the Report of the Council in due course. I am not at present in a position to say whether or not interim Reports will be published.
§ 53. Mr. PETOasked the Prime Minister whether, as out of the twenty-six members of the Industrial Council only two, namely, Mr. Devitt, chairman of the Shipping Federation, and Mr. Gosling, president of the National Transport Workers' Federation and general secretary of the Society of Watermen, are directly concerned with the dispute in the Port of London, he proposes to add members to the Council who will have some special knowledge of the trades and services concerned, and who can express their views in the Council and give opinions of value as to what measures for the enforcement of agreements are, and are not, practicable and likely to be effective?
§ Mr. J. M. ROBERTSONIt is not at present proposed to add additional members to the Industrial Council. I may remind the hon. Member that the inquiry which the Council have been asked to undertake is not confined to agreements in the transport trades, and that, in the course of the inquiry, the Council will have the opportunity of hearing evidence from persons representative of and competent to speak with authority upon the various branches of the transport and other trades.
§ Mr. PETODoes the right hon. Gentleman think that the Council as at present composed contains a sufficiency of members to decide what is applicable to the Port of London?
§ Mr. ROBERTSONThat is the view that is held.
55. Mr. SHIRLEY BENNasked if, with a view to the settlement of labour difficulties, the Prime Minister will consider the appointment of a strong committee of representatives of masters and men, nominated in part by the interests concerned, with power to appoint sub-committees, to deal with the important trades and industries, to inquire into and take evidence with regard to the relations between capital and labour, and to report as to the means which could best be taken to place those relations on a more satisfactory footing, and to secure such elasticity in the method of fixing rates of pay and hours of labour as will ensure fair conditions of working without recourse to 1842 strikes and lock-outs; and if, in the event of such committee arriving at conclusions-requiring Parliamentary authority, he will give precedence to the necessary legislation?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe suggestion of the hon. Member will be brought before the Committee of the Cabinet which is still considering the whole question of industrial unrest. Until their inquiry is concluded, which I hope may shortly be the case, I can make no statement as to what action the Government will or will not take.