§ 33. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that workers in the Common Market countries receive more bank holidays and have twice as much time off as British workers, he will take steps, by legislation or otherwise, to bring British workers' holiday conditions into line with the Common Market countries; and what would be the estimated costs of these changes.
§ Mr. GunterNo, Sir. Holiday entitlements in this country and in the E.E.C. countries vary considerably and it is therefore not possible to make the estimate asked for.
§ Mr. LewisOf course they vary considerably. But the Treaty of Rome states that the better conditions which prevail in those countries of the E.E.C. shall apply. Could not the Minister start the ball rolling by giving in this country the better conditions which are in operation in the countries of the Six to show General de Gaulle that we are intent on getting into the Common Market?
§ Mr. GunterAgain I question that proposition. In the countries of the Six there are wide variations in the way in which they deal with annual holidays and other public and bank holidays. It is easy to say that Britain is much worse off in certain respects, but when we add some of the public holidays and bank holidays which are granted in addition to the annual holidays, we are not so bad.
§ Sir J. RodgersWould not the Minister agree—leaving General de Gaulle out of the question—that the British worker has far fewer holidays than his counterpart in Europe? Would he not look into the question and urge his right hon. Friend to do something about it by instituting an extra bank holiday?
§ Mr. GunterI will certainly draw the attention of the employers to that fact so that they can bear it in mind when entering into negotiations.