§ 55. Mr. E. CRAIGasked the Minister of Labour what steps have been taken with a view to forming joint industrial councils. 855 on the lines recommended by the Whitley Report; and what progress has been made in their formation?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Mr. Bridgeman)The Whitley Report has been circulated by the Ministry of Labour to the trade unions and employers' associations in all industries to which its recommendations are applicable, with a formal request to give effect to them, together with an offer of assistance in so doing. Following this communication, negotiations are taking place, with the Assistance of the Ministry, in twenty-six industries, covering 3,000,000 workpeople. In twelve of these industries, covering 2,000,000 workpeople, joint sub-committees are actually engaged in the drawing-up of schemes for industrial councils, and in five of these industries final agreement upon the actual constitution has been practically reached. In the case of one industry— pottery— a National Joint Industrial Council has already been set up, but in this case negotiations had been begun before the publication of the Whitley Report. Other industries, in addition to the above-mentioned, are taking steps to institute joint industrial councils, but in these cases the assistance of the Ministry of Labour has not been sought. The Whitley Committees threw the responsibility for establishing industrial councils entirely on the existing organisations in each industry, and the Government has neither the intention nor the wish to force the new organisation on unwilling industries. Since industrial councils can be established only by agreement and the number of organisations on both the employers' and work peoples' side to be brought into agreement is in most industries considerable, the establishment of a council necessarily involves discussions and negotiations which may be protracted over several months. The Minister of Labour is, however, quite satisfied with the progress that has been made, which is already sufficient to justify the expectations which led the Government to approve the Whitley Report.
§ Mr. G. TERRELLWill the hon. Gentleman publish a list of the industries in which agreement has been arrived at, and these councils established?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANAs I have said in my answer, there is only one in which such a 856 council has been established. Others are in process of formation, but I will see what we can do later on.
§ 56. Mr. CRAIGasked what procedure will, on the cessation of hostilities, be adopted in those industries which have not got the Whitley industrial committees set up?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANIt is the intention of the Government to seek advice from representative bodies in each industry on matters affecting reconstruction before and during the period immediately following the cessation of hostilities. In industries for which owing to want of organisation or other reasons industrial councils cannot be established in time to serve this purpose, the Ministry of Reconstruction, in conjunction with the Board of Trade and the Ministry of Labour, are taking steps to promote interim industrial reconstruction committees as a purely temporary measure.