§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER (VISCOUNT BLAKENHAM)My Lords, with your Lordships' permission, I wish to read a statement which my right honourable friend the Minister of Labour has just made in another place. It will be convenient, I think, if I use his words. They are:
"With your permission, I wish to make a statement on the dispute at the Steel Company of Wales.
"As the House will know, the Executive Council of the Amalgamated Engineering Union yesterday put forward a new formula as a basis for the resolution of the dispute between members of the Union and the Steel Company of Wales. I saw representatives of the Company last night and arranged for them to meet officers of the Union at the Ministry of Labour this morning. Following this meeting, I saw Sir William Carron and Mr. Cartwright and they informed me that they had reached full understanding on the proposals to be submitted to the A.E.U. members at Port Talbot on Saturday morning.
1148 I am sure that the House will join with me in hoping that these developments will lead to a settlement of this dispute"
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, the whole country has been most anxious about the long-drawn-out nature of this dispute, and therefore we all welcome the statement which has now been made on behalf of the Government that an understanding has been reached between the representatives of the Union and the employers at their meeting this morning, and it is hoped that this will lead to a satisfactory settlement. I think it would be wise not to say anything more about this at the moment.
§ VISCOUNT BLAKENHAMMy Lords, I am grateful for what the noble Earl has said, and I am sure we should all accept the advice in the latter part of what he said.