HC Deb 27 March 1973 vol 853 cc1083-4
15. Mr. Hugh Jenkins

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in respect of 1954, 1964, 1969 and 1971 an analysis of the method of settlement of disputes as published in respect of 1933 and 1943.

Mr. Chichester-Clark

The collection of data for this analysis was discontinued in 1945.

Mr. Jenkins

Is it not regrettable that the Government have discontinued the collection of statistics about the way in which disputes are settled? Did not all the information at one time available show that the vast majority of disputes were settled by direct negotiations between the parties concerned? Is it not the case that it is only the Government's intervention at the moment which is preventing the settlement of a number of disputes including, for example, that of the hospital workers? Therefore, the Government are directly responsible for the maintenance of these disputes.

Mr. Chichester-Clark

I do not accept for one moment what the hon. Gentleman says. I do not believe that he accepts it in his heart either. If he wants to blame Governments for having discontinued these figures, he had better turn on his right hon. and hon. Friends. They made no attempt to reintroduce the collection of these figures. What the hon. Gentleman says about the majority of disputes being settled by direct negotiations between the parties concerned is, of course, true. A relatively small proportion of them reach the stage of conciliation or arbitration.

It is difficult to see how these figures would have been of very much help. The methods by which disputes are settled are by no means as clearcut as some might suppose. Several methods can be used before a settlement is reached and all of them may have played an important part in reaching a settlement.

Mr. Redmond

Does my hon. Friend keep records of the number of cases handled by his conciliation officers? If so, what is the number of cases handled by them? Is it increasing or decreasing?

Mr. Chichester-Clark

There is absolutely no evidence to suggest, as some hon. Members opposite sometimes do, that there has been any loss of faith in the conciliation service. In 1972 officials conciliated in 716 disputes, of which 150 involved stoppages of work, compared with 650, including 166 stoppages, in 1971. On the evidence, there is very great confidence in the conciliation service.