§ 15. Mr. John Pageasked the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations his Department has had with other interested bodies on the recommendations made in the Commission on Industrial Relations report on industrial relations training.
§ Mr. Chichester-ClarkDiscussions have already started with the education Departments and the Commission on Industrial Relations. A meeting with senior officials of industrial training boards has been arranged for mid-February and approaches are being made to other principal bodies concerned.
§ Mr. PageI do not think that I fully heard the reply from my hon. Friend because of the noise. However, will he give an assurance that, whatever changes are made in the methods of industrial training, industrial relations training will not be shut out?
§ Mr. Chichester-ClarkNo; indeed, my hon. Friend was not able to hear the whole reply. What I said—this meets his concern, which I fully understand—was that there would be a meeting between senior officials and industrial training boards in mid-February to discuss these very subjects.
§ Mr. Robert C. BrownWould not the Minister agree that it would be a good thing for his right hon. Friend to take a short, sharp crash course in industrial relations training, which might prevent his taking such arbitrary action as forbidding the management of the British gas industry to negotiate with the unions without any legislative power to do so? 1151 It cannot be denied that this decision has clearly caused the present disruption in the gas industry.
§ Mr. Chichester-ClarkThat is rather a different question. My right hon. Friend did not in fact forbid anyone. But in regard to courses on industrial relations training, I hope that there are some who will look at the motes in their own eyes.