§ 7. Captain Pilkingtonasked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to improve British productivity in view of the fact that the average American worker's output is more than twice that of his British counterpart.
§ Sir D. EcclesIndustry itself is primarily responsible for improving our industrial productivity. The British Productivity Council is the national body concerned with productivity and its activities are supported by a grant-in-aid from the Board of Trade.
§ Captain PilkingtonIs my right hon. Friend aware that there is a very wide feeling, sincerely held, that the T.U.C. leaders should concern themselves very much more with this deplorable state of affairs and rather less with the intricacies of foreign affairs?
§ Sir D. EcclesMy experience, for what it is worth, is that the T.U.C. is concerned with productivity.
§ Mr. WoodburnIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the amount of electricity at the elbow of the American worker is very many times more than is available to the British worker?
§ Sir D. EcclesYes, Sir.
§ Sir L. RopnerDoes my right hon. Friend accept the statement made in the Question that the productivity of the average American worker is more than twice that of his British counterpart? If so, is the comparison in terms of cost, or something else?
§ Sir D. EcclesThe comparison is not in terms of cost, but, of course, as my hon. and gallant Friend knows, it is the cost of producing an article which determines its market.
§ Mr. JayHave not many trade union leaders played a full and energetic part in all the work of the Productivity Council for years past?
§ Sir D. EcclesThat is so.