§ 32. Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will ask the Scottish Law Commission to consider the issue of problems associated with High Court injunctions in matters of industrial dispute.
§ The Solicitor-General for Scotland (Mr. Peter Fraser)No, Sir. The Government do not intend to ask the Scottish Law Commission to consider these matters as part of the commission's work on law reform.
§ Mr. DalyellDoes the Solicitor-General recall the day that I accompanied busloads of ladies from Plessey's at Bathgate to the High Court to defend their jobs? Should industrial relations be legal relations rather than human relations?
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandThe particular section of the 1974 Act on which the court in Edinburgh determined that matter has, as I am sure the hon. Gentleman knows, now been repealed. There are differing policy views about whether such matters should properly come before the court. I scarcely think that it is appropriate for the Scottish Law Commission to be asked to arbitrate on such differences of policy. Its responsibility is to deal with legal questions in connection with law reform.
Mr. Ron BrownWhatever the Law Commission may think, is it not the case that the real criminals are in the Government? The working classes have no ill intent—and especially not the miners. Yet is not the law repeatedly used against the working class? The police state is being built up and, especially in Scotland, the law is aiding and abetting the police state. Whether or not the Government like it, they are indicted because of their policies.
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandThe hon. Gentleman uses many legal phrases. However, it is clear from the general import of his question that he does not understand the substance of the rule of law.