Joint Production Committees

HC Deb 17 February 1943 vol 386 cc1733-4

47. Sir George Schuster

asked the Minister of Production the total number of manufacturing undertakings in the United Kingdom, with a pay roll of 150 or more, which have set up joint production committees; what percentage that figure represents of the total number of such manufacturing undertakings; and whether he can give an analysis of the total figure so as to indicate, separately, the percentage of undertakings which have set up production committees in different districts of the United Kingdom or in different classes of industry?

50. Mr. Lipson

asked the Minister of Production whether he will give the percentage of production committees which have been set up; and the percentages for Scotland, the North-East, North-West, Midlands, South-East and South-West of England, respectively?

Mr. Lyttelton

The information immediately available relates to the engineering and allied industries. Of firms in that group employing 150 or more workpeople, 2,096 are known to have set up joint production committees and 214 to be in process of doing so. Some 600 of the smaller engineering firms are also known to have such committees. There may be a number of other cases not vet reported to the Regional Boards. For reasons which my hon. Friends will appreciate, I cannot give any indication of the total number of firms engaged in a particular branch or industry, nor of how these are distributed geographically. I will, however, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the percentages asked for by Regions.

Mr. Lipson

Can the Minister say whether there is any appreciable difference in the percentage of joint production committees that have been set up in the North as compared with the South?

Mr. Lyttelton

There is a marked difference. The percentage in the South is very much higher than that in the North and in Scotland.

Mr. Lipson

Will my right hon. Friend draw the attention of the North to the more progressive action of the South?

Mr. Kirkwood

Will the Minister tell us whether these production committees have been a success or otherwise?

Mr. Lyttelton

On the whole, they have been a success.

Following is the table:

PERCENTAGES OF FIRMS THAT HAVE SET UP JOINT PRODUCTION COMMITTEES.

In firms with 150 or more workpeople, the percentages asked for by districts are:

• London and South-Eastern Region, 87 per cent.
• Southern Region, 73 per cent.
• South-Western Region, 79 per cent.
• Eastern Region, 54 per cent.
• East and West Ridings Region, 61 per cent.
• Midlands Region, 31 per cent.
• North Midland Region, 45 per cent.
• North-Western Region, 33 per cent.
• Northern Region, 67 per cent.
• Wales Region, 71 per cent.
• Scotland, 28 per cent.