HC Deb 21 May 1962 vol 660 cc8-10
7. Mr. Prentice

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to promote arrangements for severance payments to workers who become redundant.

Mr. Hare

I have missed no opportunity of emphasising the importance of proper arrangements in industry for dealing with the problem of redundancy. With the co-operation of my National Joint Advisory Council I have recently published the booklet Security and Change which gives an account of redundancy policies, including arrangements for severance payments. This has received wide publicity. My officers are always available to advise managements on redundancy problems and are constantly doing so.

Mr. Prentice

Do not the requirements of the time demand something more positive than the publishing of booklets? Will the right hon. Gentleman give the House a statement of his attitude towards the Redundant Workers (Severance Pay) Bill introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Mr. Diamond)? Also, has the right hon. Gentleman read page 26 of the Labour Party's publication Signposts for the Sixties, which gives the ideas of the Opposition on this matter? Is it not time the Government came forward with positive ideas in this respect?

Mr. Hare

I do not think we ought to under-estimate what has already been achieved by methods of which the hon. Gentleman apparently does not think much. Between 3 million and 3½ million workers are covered by redundancy policies. We are making considerable progress by means of voluntary agreements. We must certainly press on with these. On the broader subject of legislation, I am prepared to keep my mind open.

Mr. K. Lewis

Is my right hon. Friend aware that many of us on this side of the House appreciate that some of the best schemes for redundancy payments are in the private sector of industry and that they are growing, and that we hope that the worst offenders in private industry which have not got such schemes will come up to the level of the best? Is my right hon. Friend aware that any encouragement in this direction which can be given by his Department will certainly be appreciated on this side of the House?

Mr. Hare

I thank my hon. Friend for what he has said. I will certainly give all the encouragement I can. It would be a pity to take too low a view of what has been achieved. We must keep our minds open on this.