§ 2.58 p.m.
§ LORD CONESFORDMy 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 whether, as reported in The Times of July 12, 1966, British shipbuilders cannot use a cartridge-assisted hammer that fires screws or nails into pressed steel, because the trade unions insist that drillers must drill the holes and joiners must put in the screws, and neither will allow the other to handle an instrument that does both operations and is extensively used by our foreign competitors.]
§ THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD CHAMPION)My Lords, I am informed that there have been demarcation difficulties over the introduction of this tool in one shipyard, but that in several other yards where it is in use no difficulties have arisen.
§ LORD CONESFORDMy Lords, may I thank the noble Lord for that partially encouraging Answer, and ask him this further question? Does he recollect that the Royal Commission has been asked to consider
the role of trade unions…in accelerating the…economic advance of the nation"?Have the Government collected evidence of these restrictive practices, and will they give their evidence to the Royal Commission?
§ LORD CHAMPIONMy Lords, this one matter in relation to this industry in particular has been considered by a Committee under the chairmanship of Mr. Geddes. The Committee's Report is a very able Report, first-class in every way, and is now being studied by the Government as to possible action. We recognise the difficulties here.