§ 15. Mr. Hooleyasked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will give a general direction to the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation to consult representatives of trade unions whose members will be directly affected, before carrying through or taking part in any merger or reorganisation of two or more industrial firms.
§ Mr. M. StewartNo, Sir.
§ Mr. HooleyWould my right hon. Friend accept that on this side of the House we very much welcome the activities of this Corporation? Will he give an assurance that it will not operate simply as a kind of orthodox marriage broker but will take account of the social significance of mergers which it is designed to produce?
§ Mr. StewartYes, it will certainly do that. I would be very ready to listen to any views which may be relevant to its work, whether from the trade unions or from other quarters, but the specific question was that I should give a direction that the Corporation was itself to consult trade union representatives. I am not sure that the trade unions themselves would wish that. They might 1678 prefer discussions to be conducted with the employers with whom they are accustomed to deal.
§ Mr. Stratton MillsWill the right hon. Gentleman say for what reasons Mr. Grierson has retired before he was due to do so? Was it because he was not used to this kind of meddling from Government sources?
§ Mr. StewartThe hon. Member should not make a suggestion like that. The reasons for Mr. Grierson's retirement have been given in the Press and there is no truth at all in what the hon. Member has said.
§ Mr. MaxwellIs my right hon. Friend aware that industry very much welcomes the setting up of the I.R.C.? Can he say on which industries its intervention will be made public?
§ Mr. StewartI was glad to hear the first part of that supplementary question. The second part goes wide of this Question and should be put on the Order Paper.