HC Deb 04 April 1974 vol 871 c1440
Q5. Mr. Redmond

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to hold official consultations with the TUC.

The Prime Minister

I have no immediate plans to do so but detailed discussions on different aspects of economic and social policy are being arranged by the responsible departmental Ministers.

Mr. Redmond

Is the Prime Minister aware of the great anxiety that exists in the engineering industry at the threat of industrial action by the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers? In the light of that, how far can yesterday's promise by the TUC be relied on when Mr. Hugh Scanlon is a member of the committee which promised it?

The Prime Minister

The hon. Gentleman, quite understandably, could not have been at yesterday's meeting, which was private by long tradition. If he had been he would have been as gratified by it as were those who took part. I am not aware of such anxiety as he expresses, but I am aware that the engineering industry's biggest problem is still recovery from the three-day working week.