§ 3. Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make a statement about his investigations into allegations that certain employers in the North Sea oil industry are exploiting cheap overseas labour.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Energy (Mr. Hamish Gray)The undertaking that I gave in a recent Scottish Television programme related to statements made about the Universal Services International. My officials have taken these up with the company, which has now 638 given an undertaking to phase out the employment of non-EEC nationals on rigs in United Kingdom waters by the middle of this year. I have asked the Offshore Supplies Office to monitor progress and keep me advised.
§ Mr. CanavanDoes the hon. Gentleman agree that it is an absolute scandal that an American multinational company, such as the one that he has named, should have been allowed in the first place to exploit overseas workers by paying them only one-third of the trade union rate for the job and making them work 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, for six weeks at a time? Is it not time that employment protection legislation was extended to the North Sea and that the Government issued instructions through the Offshore Supplies Office that no contracts should be given to the American multinational gangsters that are operating an international slave trade in the North Sea?
§ Mr. GrayThe hon. Gentleman has a weakness for overstating his case. To put the matter in perspective, it is worth pointing out that of all those employed on the United Kingdom continental shelf, 92 per cent. are United Kingdom nationals. The company in question has a very good record on procurement. It buys practically all its supplies within the Aberdeen area. In addition, 65 per cent. of its personnel operating out of Aberdeen are United Kingdom nationals. I have no comment to make about those who have been taken on by the company away from the United Kingdom.