§ 42. Lord R. CECILasked this Prime Minister whether he will recommend the appointment of a small Royal Commission to report upon the main causes of industrial unrest as shown in the recent disputes on the railways, in the coal trade, and in many other departments of British industry?
§ 63. Sir H. FOREMANasked the Prime Minister whether the Government has made any inquiries since the publication of the Report of the Committee on the Relations of Employers and Employed into the best and latest means of minimising the industrial troubles from which the nation is suffering?
§ The PRIME MINISTERSome form of systematic enquiry into the industrial unrest may be desirable. The Government are considering the question, but I do not think the appointment of a Royal Commission would be the best means of eliciting information on this important subject.
§ Mr. M. STEVENSWill the right hon. Gentleman include in the inquiry the question of the basis of equitable wages, not only for one trade, but for the whole of the trades of the country?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat would be much too wide an inquiry and very dangerous. The question of wages is much better settled between employer and workman. There was an informal inquiry of this kind during the War, and it was a very useful inquiry. The reports were of an admirable character, and there may be a good deal to be said for repeating that experiment. Both employers and workmen assisted the Government to find out what was really happening in the industrial world.
§ 62. Sir H. FOREMANasked the Prime Minister whether it is possible-to extend the functions and operation of the Whitley Councils so as to make them a greater factor in avoiding labour unrest?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI have been asked to reply. There are at present 71 Joint Industrial Councils, covering 3½ millions of workpeople, in addition to other adequate conciliation machinery in certain highly organised trades, namely, cotton, engineering and shipbuilding, and the iron and steel trades. As regards an 2073 extension of the functions of the Whitley Councils, these bodies are autonomous and can extend1 their functions on a voluntary basis in any way which seems expedient to them. If my hon. Friend contemplates an extension of the functions by the introduction of some form of statutory compulsion—for instance, in the enforcement of their decisions—I am afraid that the consensus of opinion is at present against him. I can assure him that these Whitley Councils are undoubtedly a very important factor in avoiding industrial unrest. Already during the past few weeks serious differences in relation to reduction in wages have been overcome by a number of these bodies.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODHas the right hon. Gentleman formed any conclusions as to how far these Whitley Councils in their increasing numbers do organise the employers and workmen together against the consumer in this country?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI cannot answer that.
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI said so.