HC Deb 25 April 1977 vol 930 cc695-6
3. Mr. Ridley

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make it a condition for receiving financial assistance from the taxpayers that companies do not discriminate against contractors and suppliers who may employ non-union labour.

The Minister of State, Department of Industry (Mr. Alan Williams)

No, Sir. Conditions are related to the purposes of the assistance.

Mr. Ridley

Is the Minister aware that Rolls-Royce, British Leyland and Chrysler appear to have allowed the unions to dictate the terms upon which they shall be supplied and upon which contractors may do work for them? There appears to be a connection between State assistance to such firms and the abnegation of the responsibility of management to decide how it shall conduct its business. In view of this weakness of the system operated by the Labour Party, will the Minister take steps to alter the criteria in the way that the Question indicates?

Sir K. Joseph

Hear, hear.

Mr. Williams

The right hon. Gentleman says "Hear, hear", but surely it is up to the management concerned to decide what conditions it wishes to impose. Equally, it is up to the other management to decide whether it wishes to agree to them. The point I would make is that the action which the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) is asking to have stopped was legal even under the Industrial Relations Act operated by the previous Administration. We therefore have a situation that, while the Leader of the Opposition is purporting to be wooing the industries, the mood on the Opposition Back Benches is even more virulent than it was when the Conservative Party was last in office.

Mr. Ronald Atkins

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that it is the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) who is interfering with the freedom of management? I am sure management does not require assistance from him.

Mr. Williams

The hon. Gentleman appears to believe that anyone who is undertaking behaviour with which he does not agree should have sanctions applied against him.