§ 23. Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many references are now being considered by the Commission on Industrial Relations.
§ Mr. Harold Walker12 references are currently under consideration.
§ Mr. WainwrightWould my hon. Friend say what action he is taking against those firms refusing to accept C.I.R. recommendations for trade union recognition, and what progress is being made with managements to make certain that communication in industry is improved?
§ Mr. WalkerI think the House will share my regret that those firms which have been subject to recommendations and have not responded to them should not have done so. Further discussions are proceeding with the parties. On the long-term aspect, my right hon. Friend is proposing to take certain powers in the Industrial Relations Bill which will be presented to the House very soon.
§ Mr. PeytonWould the hon. Gentleman be good enough to circulate in the FFICIAL REPORT a list of all those cases in which the Commission has so far intervened, and perhaps add his own comments on the results which may have been achieved, and perhaps estimate the amount of man hours fruitlessly wasted?
§ Mr. WalkerI do not think we could practically do that, but I hope the hon. Member is not taking a derogatory attitude about the rôle of the C.I.R. which we think—and I think the whole House will agree—has a very useful rôle to play in industrial relations.