§ 35. Sir B. Rhys Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Employment and 1709 Productivity in what proportion of the industries for which the Ministry of Technology is responsible is shift working normal practice; and how this compares with the same industries in the United States of America, West Germany and Japan, from information available to her from international sources.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerShift working is practised in all the industries for which my right hon. Friend is responsible. Information available to my Department suggests that it is quite extensive in about half the industries concerned.
No information is available on which valid comparisons with practice in other countries can be based.
§ Sir B. Rhys WilliamsIs it not true that as a result of this Government's policies a large part of our industrial capital is obsolescent and standing idle for half the time?
§ Mr. WalkerI have no information to show how our practices compare with other countries, though I accept that it is important to secure the maximum utilisation of capital equipment; that is, consistent with considerations of health, safety and welfare.