§ 11. Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many working days have been lost through industrial action in 1984 to date.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyIt is provisionally estimated that in the first nine months of this year 15.8 million working days have been lost through stoppages of work due to industrial disputes in the United Kingdom; and that four fifths of these days have been lost as a result of the mining dispute.
§ Mr. FatchettDoes the hon. Gentleman realise that 1984 will see twice as many working days lost through industrial action as happened in the last year of the Labour Government, in 1978? In the years subsequent to 1978 we have had three pieces of industrial relations legislation from this Government. Does the hon. Gentleman think that the number of lost working days is a sign that that legislation has failed or a sign of its success? Are not this Government concerned with causing chaos in industrial relations?
§ Mr. BottomleyI do not think that the hon. Gentleman has even convinced himself. With the exception of the mining dispute, the number of days lost has fallen. The mining dispute, however, involves an example of a union not listening to its members and not asking them before going on strike.