§ 5. Sir Leonard Lyleasked the Minister of Labour whether for public information and guidance, he will in future issue a brief official statement on any serious strike or cessation of work, official or unofficial, giving the reasons alleged by both sides and the wages of those concerned, actual and demanded?
§ Mr. BevinI regret that I cannot adopt this suggestion. The circumstances of trade disputes are seldom such that a statement of the kind indicated would serve a useful purpose without an examination of the validity and merits of the reasons alleged by both sides, and this would require a formal and impartial inquiry. I have power to order such inquiries, and I exercise this power whenever it seems appropriate to do so.