HC Deb 26 March 1970 vol 798 cc1629-32
26. Mr. Bradley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity when she now proposes to introduce a Bill to deal with the problems of industrial relations.

Mr. Harold Walker

This will be a complex Bill. My right hon. Friend will introduce it as early as possible after Easter.

Mr. Bradley

Can my hon. Friend give an assurance that the Bill will deal constructively with the root causes of industrial unrest like lengthy bargaining and dismissal procedures and not punitively with symptoms, which is all the Opposition are interested in?

Mr. Walker

Yes. I think that that reflects the Government's own approach to the reform of industrial relations. The need to tackle the underlying problems and not the symptoms.

Mr. Lane

In view of the fact that his right hon. Friend proposed a Bill last summer, can the hon. Gentleman tell the House why the introduction of the Bill has taken such an extraordinarily long time?

Mr. Walker

I have said that it is a complex Bill, and I should have thought that on such a complex Bill as it will be the House would have wanted us to have the maximum consultation to make sure that we have it absolutely right.

Mr. R. Carr

Can the hon. Gentleman explain how it was that if his right hon. Friend was apparently ready with the introduction of the Bill last summer it has taken a year now to be ready?

Mr. Walker

As the right hon. Gentleman knows, the Bill proposed last summer was an interim measure of limited scope.

27. Mr. Bradley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity how many references now before the Commission on Industrial Relations concern trade union recognition disputes.

Mr. Harold Walker

Three references now before the Commission on Industrial Relations concern trade union recognition. Reports have been published on six others.

Mr. Bradley

Yes, but has my hon. Friend any further references in mind? Is it not the case that the C.I.R. has achieved some notable successes like the B.S.R. dispute at East Kilbride? Could he not arrange for his Department to promote greater publicity of the more positive results of the Commission?

Mr. Walker

We do have more references under consideration, but I do not think I can disclose them in advance while the references are the subject of consultation with the parties affected. On the point of publicising the rôle of the C.I.R., I agree with my hon. Friend that the Commission has justified and is justifying its creation and is playing a useful rôle in industrial relations, and I would hope that greater attention would be paid to the positive measures which the Commission is recommending and the positive achievements it has to its credit.

Mr. Scott

Would the hon. Gentleman consider, in drafting the Bill, giving a greater say in these recognition disputes to the workers who are involved and giving them a chance to express by ballot their views as to which union should represent them, if any?

Mr. Walker

My right hon. Friend has pointed out to the House before that we do not rule out the usefulness of the ballot in certain circumstances, but we do not think it is the whole answer by any means.

Mr. Raphael Tuck

Can the Commission on Industrial Relations do anything about the 3,000 workers Odhams sacked last night in Watford as a result of an industrial dispute?

Mr. Walker

I am afraid I require notice of that.

28. Mr. Raphael Tuck

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity when she proposes to introduce legislation to place the Commission on Industrial Relations on a statutory basis.

Mr. Harold Walker

The Government propose to put the C.I.R. on a statutory basis in the Industrial Relations Bill which will be introduced as soon as possible.

Mr. Tuck

Is it not true that the Commission on Industrial Relations has also shown the way to reducing industrial strife particularly in union recognition disputes, and will the Secretary of State introduce legislation as soon as possible to enable it to widen the scope of its activity?

Mr. Walker

We will, as I said, be introducing legislation as soon as possible, but the scope of the activity of the C.I.R. I do not think will be appropriate for the Bill.

Mr. Edward M. Taylor

Would the hon. Gentleman not agree that, far from being reduced, industrial strife has actually been increasing very substantially indeed, and that the figures for 1969 were the highest on record? Is it not about time that the Government were prepared to initiate a cost-benefit analysis into all these commissions and boards and councils which have been set up?

Mr. Walker

There are many Questions on the Paper about strike statistics and so on.

Mr. R. W. Brown

Would my hon. Friend remind hon. Gentlemen opposite that deaths in industry are up 7 per cent. this year as well, and that perhaps he should address himself to that problem?