§ Q10. Mr. Joel Barnettasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his talks with the Trades Union Congress.
§ The Prime MinisterI would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14th March to a Question from the hon. Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie).—[Vol. 833, c. 83–4.]
§ Mr. BarnettIn view of the distinct lack of enthusiasm of his back benchers for the new interventionist policies, will the right hon. Gentleman give consideration to appointing a member of the T.U.C. as the new Minister for Industrial Development?
§ The Prime MinisterI think the hon. Gentleman has realised the nature of the organisation which is being set up and which will be responsible to a Minister. There is no change in this. We had a similar organisation, although not on such a scale, when I was Secretary of State for Regional Development in 1963–64. This is desirable in its extended form to give the greatest possible drive to the renewal of industry in the regions.
§ Mr. OrmeIn its meeting with the Prime Minister what did the T.U.C. have to say about the Industrial Relations Bill and the barrier which this presents to improved industrial relations?
§ The Prime MinisterThe long discussions that my colleagues and I had with the T.U.C. on the last occasion showed that the Industrial Relations Bill is no longer a barrier to good contacts between trade unions and Government, nor need it be a hindrance to industrial relations—exactly the reverse.
§ Sir D. RentonIs my right hon. Friend aware that fruitful co-operation between the T.U.C. and Conservative Governments is nothing new, and has taken place under every Conservative Government since the war?
§ The Prime MinisterI think that is how things should be with organisations outside Parliament. They work with Governments of whatever colour. I do not think that the T.U.C. would claim the 1679 right to dictate to a Conservative Government that we should go against what we said in our election manifesto about industrial relations.