HC Deb 24 January 1984 vol 52 cc758-9
10. Mr. Lewis Stevens

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the trends in industrial stoppages in British industry.

Mr. Tom King

There has been a significant fall in the past four years in the number of stoppages and the amount of working days lost.

Mr. Stevens

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that reply. Does he accept that that fall reflects well on the Government, management and trade unions? Does he agree that there is no room for complacency? Will he ensure that active encouragement is given to those involved, including employers' organisations, to develop worthwhile long-term industrial relations?

Mr. King

I am able to report a significant reduction to the House. It is noteworthy that the figures for this year so far are running at about one quarter of the average figure of 12 million days lost every year between 1971 and 1980. Although the figure is now down to over 3 million days, it still does enormous damage to this country's performance when compared with some of our competitors, some of which have almost a nil entry in that respect. It is vital that we do not lose days through industrial disputes, because the only real loser is this country's economic performance.

Mr. Park

Is not the trend a reflection of the rising tide of unemployment, which engenders fear among working people because they know that if they lose the job that they have they have no chance of getting another?

Mr. King

It also reflects the fact that people increasingly appreciate that, in a very competitive world, if a firm goes on strike and there are unnecessary stoppages the orders will be delivered late, if at all, and the customers will be lost. The truth is that if we had kept our own share of our markets over the past 10 years, there would be 1.5 million more jobs in this country. There is no question but that our record on industrial disputes had a lot to do with greater import penetration.

Mr. Madel

Does my right hon. Friend agree that one of the reasons for the improvement is that the Government have avoided putting too much industrial relations law on the statute book? Does he further agree that the main thing now is to build up the influence of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service in solving industrial disputes?

Mr. King

I should like to think that ACAS is now well established. In spite of earlier attempts to make me supplement or intervene in the work of ACAS, its independent role is recognised, I hope, by both sides of the House. I should have thought that the whole House would welcome—I am not sure that one part does—the fact that there has been an enormous reduction in the number of days lost through industrial disputes. I should not have thought that anyone with a sensible approach to industrial relations wants a strike in any case.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

Is it not fair to say that if there were full employment tomorrow there would be chaos in industrial relations?

Mr. King

That is absolute rubbish. A considerable number of people now appreciate the benefit of uninterrupted work for themselves and their earnings. Performance, not least in the car industry, is clear evidence of that.