Scottish Trades Union Congress

HC Deb 07 May 1980 vol 984 cc253-5

1. Mr. Ron Brown asked

the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to meet the leaders of the Scottish Trades Union Congress.

11. Mr. Norman Hogg asked

the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to meet the General Council of the Scottish Trades Union Congress.

The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Alexander Fletcher)

My right hon. Friend and I have met representatives of the STUC several times since taking office and have made it clear that we are prepared to meet them at any time they wish.

Mr. Brown

Is the Minister aware that the Government's policies are creating havoc in Scotland, hitting jobs and living standards in particular? Does not he appreciate that the STUC has no alternative but to step up the fight against him in order to defend standards in Scotland?

Mr. Fletcher

I refute entirely the accusation of havoc in Scotland. The Scottish people, like those in the rest of the United Kingdom, are determined to support the Government in seeing their policies through. It would be helpful to employment and economic prospects in Scotland generally if the hon. Gentleman and his colleagues, and STUC leaders in Scotland, would urge Scottish workers not to take part in the so-called day of action next week. That must be exceedingly damaging to the Scottish economy.

Mr. Hogg

When will the Minister accept that the Government's policies in Scotland have failed and that they do not command the respect or support of the Scottish electorate, as was proved last Thursday? When will he stand up and fight against monetarism that is doing so much damage to Scotland?

Mr. Fletcher

It is a great pity that the hon. Gentleman is so impatient. The Government's policies will work through in Scotland as in the rest of the United Kingdom. It will take until some time next year before the benefits of these policies can be seen.

Mr. Sproat

Will my hon. Friend point out to the STUC and to opposition Members who have asked questions the vast and damaging discrepancy between their claims, on the one hand, that they want a sound and prosperous economy, and their advocacy, or the other, of a day of inaction that can only lead to loss of production, loss of wages and massive inconvenience to the public?

Mr. Fletcher

My hon. Friend is right. It is a pity that the STUC will not listen to its own members in Scotland, most of whom have no desire to take part in this day of action.

Mr. Buchan

Is not the hon. Gentleman aware that the Government's policy is, unfortunately, working through in Scotland, to the tune of 200,000 unemployed? Is not any small amount of production lost on the day of action a fleabite compared with the enormous loss of production caused by that number of unemployed?

Mr. Fletcher

The hon. Gentleman knows that the previous Labour Government doubled unemployment in Scotland during their term of office. He will also know—I am thinking of incidents reported in the press concerning his constituency—that further damage may be inflicted on the car factory at Linwood if, because of a dispute over manning involving four men, there is a closure. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will help the responsible people to make sure that a closure is averted.

Mr. John MacKay

In addition to the problem at Linwood, which is most unfortunate given the progress that the factory has made, is it not sad to reflect that the STUC did so little about the Hunterston dispute that closed that deep-water steel port for months?

Mr. Fletcher

My hon. Friend is right. There is a great deal that the STUC can do to promote jobs in Scotland and help the Scottish economy. I hope that it will do so.

Mr. Harry Ewing

Why does the Minister show such abysmal ignorance about what happened at Hunterston? Why does he not tell his hon. Friends that it was the good offices of the STUC and not the Minister's stupid interventions that brought a solution to the Hunterston problem? Would the hon. Gentleman care to tell the House of the damage he has done to the Scottish economy by his wanton attack on Scottish workers before his visit to America? Is he aware that evidence is now becoming available showing that inward investment from America has been damaged by that attack?

Mr. Fletcher

The Hunterston dispute continued for six months and inflicted great damage on the Scottish economy. The hon. Gentleman's other remarks about inward investment from America are so unsubstantiated that they do not merit further comment.