§ 16. Mr. Maclennanasked the Secretary of State for Employment when he intends to bring forward proposals on secret ballots for the election of trade union officials.
§ Mr. TebbitI hope to issue a consultative document shortly.
§ Mr. MaclennanWhy has the Secretary of State left a measure of trade union reform that should have appeared at the beginning of the Government's programme to the last year of their life? Is he saying that he has now been converted to the view that has been advanced by the Social Democrats and the Liberals that giving the trade unions back to their members would prove to be the most important reform of industial relations?
§ Mr. TebbitNo doubt the House will ask itself why the hon. Gentleman and all bar one of his colleagues in the Social Democratic Party consistently supported Governments who opposed every measure of trade union reform that was brought before the House. The House might be inclined to ask when the hon. Gentleman changed his mind. I have taken advice from several people on this issue, and particularly from the man who said:
For more years than I care to remember the extreme Left have been intriguing, lying and manipulating the votes of trade unions.That was Mr. Frank Chapple. It is time that we helped him.
§ Mr. Prenticerose—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I had hoped to get the Front Benches in, but time will defeat us.
§ Mr. PrenticeIs my right hon. Friend aware that many Conservative Members would have liked such a proposal to be included in the Gracious Speech? However, we may be prepared to wait a little longer if my right hon. Friend's ultimate proposals deal not only with the election of officials but with secret ballots prior to the calling of major strikes, because such proposals are long overdue.
§ Mr. TebbitI must ask my right hon. Friend to await the Green Paper. However, it is greatly to his credit that 702 he stood for election on the programme of reform that was conducted by the previous Secretary of State for Employment, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, as it has been by me.
§ Mr. Varleyrose—
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsOn a point of order, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The right hon. Lady knows that if she gives notice that she intends to raise the matter on the Adjournment that will prevent other hon. Members from being called.
§ Mrs. WilliamsYes, Mr. Speaker. Is there any way in which you can protect hon. Members from the expression of an inaccuracy by the Secretary of State?—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. Inaccuracy is a way of life in the House.
§ Mr. VarleyIs the Secretary of State aware that his decision to produce the Green Paper in the final Session of Parliament is no more than a squalid attempt to divert attention from the disastrous economic policies that the Government have followed? More evil men than the Secretary of State have been trying to destroy the trade union movement, but they will not succeed.
§ Mr. TebbitI used to doubt those psychiatrists and sociologists who said that job insecurity made people aggressive, but I am beginning to change my mind. I ask myself why the right hon. Gentleman so consistently opposes programmes for democratisation of the trade unions. Is it because when the miners had their chance to speak they slapped the right hon. Gentleman in the face through their ballot?