§ 2.58 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT CALDECOTEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what is being done to study the effects on employment of the introduction of automation and computers in industry and commerce and what action has been taken and is contemplated as a result of these studies.]
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER (VISCOUNT BLAKENHAM)My Lords, the Ministry of Labour's Manpower Research Unit is 142 studying future manpower requirements in the light of likely developments, including the effect of automation and other technological changes. The Unit is making special studies of the metal manufacturing and using industries and the construction industries, and has recently launched an inquiry into the effect of computers on office employment. The Ministry is also sponsoring certain related projects of academic research. The results of these studies will be taken into account in shaping future employment and training policies; in particular, they will assist the Industrial Training Boards to assess training requirements for their industries. The Ministry of Labour is also studying the effects of automation on human relations in industry.
§ VISCOUNT CALDECOTEMy Lords, while thanking the noble Viscount for his reply, may I ask whether he is satisfied that they are going fast enough in this matter?
§ VISCOUNT BLAKENHAMMy Lords, I would answer my noble friend by saying this. I think that good progress is being made. This Research Unit was set up only in April of last year, and it is assembling a lot of information, some of which, I hope, will be published in the early part of the summer.
§ VISCOUNT CALDECOTEMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Viscount.
§ LORD CHAMPIONMy Lords, will this Research Unit be expected to work in co-operation with the National Economic Development Commission, which clearly has an interest in this matter?
§ VISCOUNT BLAKENHAMYes, my Lords; I can assure the noble Lord that this Unit will work in the closest co-operation with N.E.D.C. and the economic development committees which N.E.D.C. are setting up. Of course, this was a separate conception and was started on its own, but the fullest co-operation is obviously necessary.
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, will this not entail a radical alteration and speeding up regarding the need for a better educational system? We are going to raise the school-leaving age, apparently, in 1970 and we have neither the teachers 143 nor the schools available. What are the Government really doing to speed this matter up?
§ VISCOUNT BLAKENHAMMy Lords, I do not think the noble Earl will expect me to anticipate the speech I am going to make on industrial training as soon as to-morrow.
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, perhaps the noble Viscount will include educational training at the same time.
§ LORD STONHAMMy Lords, can the noble Viscount say whether, in the inquiries now being made, the Ministry of Labour are considering the effects of automation in respect of redundancy? Are they, for example, making any special arrangements with regard to retraining; and are they taking into consideration any special arrangements with regard to severance pay for the people who become redundant through no fault of their own?
§ VISCOUNT BLAKENHAMMy Lords, one of the effects of the work of this Unit will be. I hope, to give a far better knowledge to industry about its likely future labour arrangements and the shape of its labour force, its skills and so on which will be needed in future for a particular industry or firm. To that extent, I think this will fit in very much with what the noble Lord has in mind. The questions of severance payments and redundancy arrangements are obviously more easily dealt with if you know what sort of redundancy you are likely to have and can plan your manpower accordingly.