§ 14. Mr. Formanasked the Secretary of State for Employment to what factors he ascribes the relatively low level of recorded industrial disputes over the last two years.
§ Mr. BoothThe Government have pursued policies which have helped to bring about this improvement, we have repealed the Industrial Relations Act, established the new Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service and given new rights to workers and their representatives in the Employment Protection Act. More generally, the social contract has helped to create a climate conducive to industrial peace.
§ Mr. FormanIt was to be expected that the right hon. Gentleman would seek to ascribe this situation to the so-called achievements of his Government, but does he not realise that the real reason is the disastrously high level of unemployment—now 5½ per cent. of the total working force? Is not the right hon. Gentleman equally worried that in a few vulnerable industries there are still far too many short, sharp disputes which do great damage to our export prospects in those sectors?
§ Mr. BoothI am concerned that there are some disputes in areas which are damaging to employment and exports, but I suggest to the hon. Gentleman that probably more damage is done to exports by the continuous harping on a limited number of disputes by the British Press and some Opposition Members. That conveys a general impression across the world that foreign countries cannot safely place orders with British industry. Any objective study of our strike statistics shows that Britain has a much better record than that of many other industrial countries, and the number of disputes has been falling. As to the relationship between levels of unemployment and the number of strikes, I remind the hon. Gentleman that the previous Conservative Administration managed to combine high levels of unemployment with a high degree of industrial unrest.
§ Mr. GeorgeIs my right hon. Friend in a position to make a statement on a meeting he had this morning with officials of the electricians' trade union on the damaging dispute at Rubery Owen, Darlaston, in my constituency?
§ Mr. BoothThe dispute at Rubery Owen threatens very grievous employment consequences. I am, therefore, glad to be able to tell my hon. Friend that the outcome of the meeting held in my Department this morning, which was attended by the Secretary of State for Industry, the President of the EETPU, the executive member for the area and other representatives of the EETPU, was that we can expect an early return to the negotiating table which promises to bring about a solution of the dispute.