§ Q8. Mr. Bishopasked the Prime Minister what is his policy with regard to the establishment of productivity committees in industry in support of the export drive.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government support the setting up of productivity committees and I have said on several occasions that such committees could very usefully concern themselves with exports.
§ Mr. BishopWould my right hon. Friend bear in mind the importance of communication between management and workers in this matter in view of the fact that recently many redundancies have been declared without those affected by them being informed?
§ The Prime MinisterI am aware of the anxiety because of certain recent mergers. Certainly an early warning system is urgently necessary both as regards informing the Government and the regional planning councils and informing the unions and workers concerned. But on the question of the productivity committees generally, and particularly for exports, I refer my hon. Friend to the statement which I made in a speech in Burnley, a copy of which is in the Library.