11. Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he intends to take to ensure that the rate of industrial productivity achieved during the three-day week is maintained.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Employment (Mr. John Fraser)The Government are confident that their industrial relations policies will encourage co-operation between both sides of industry and so help towards advances in productivity.
Mr. AdleyThat does not answer the Question. Will not the hon. Gentleman agree that there was a noticeable increase in productivity during the three-day week and that people worked harder when they had to? What conclusions does he draw from that?
§ Mr. FraserThere are no official statistics on productivity which cover the three-day working week, but many firms are said to have achieved about 80 per cent. of normal output. My right hon. Friend attended a meeting of the National Economic Development Council on 11th March when he was pleased to join in giving 839 approval to a proposal of the Director-General that the NEDC should undertake an immediate study to establish quickly whether there were increases in productivity during the three-day working week period which could be of lasting value. This report will be presented to the council, on which the Government and industry are represented, and should be of great interest.