§ Lord BROCKWAYMy 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 an agreement has been reached for workers' participation in the management of the State-owned shipyard Harland and Wolff at Belfast; and if so, what are its terms.
§ Lord JACQUESMy Lords, discussions over the past year have resulted in agreement being reached on proposals for the work force to participate in the management process at all levels in Harland and Wolff. These proposals provide for representatives of the workers to be elected to the Board of the Company, and for the establishment of a joint implementation council, joint departmental councils, and joint productivity committees.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, is my noble friend the Minister aware that many of us would like to congratulate Mr. Stan Orme, MP, on this extraordinarily satisfactory arrangement? May I ask my noble friend whether it will be extended to other publicly-owned industries and, in particular, whether it will be extended to Londonderry, where negotiations about industrial democracy are also taking place?
§ Lord JACQUESMy Lords, my noble friend Lord Brockway will be aware that the Bullock Committee is sitting at the moment. We are waiting for its report on industrial democracy. Beyond that I can make no further commitment.
The Earl of GOWRIEMy Lords, can the noble Lord, Lord Jacques, tell us 216 why, despite the fact that the Bullock Committee has not yet reported, these provisions are restricted to Northern Ireland?
§ Lord JACQUESMy Lords, this was a particular problem where the Government had taken over the industry. The industry became State-owned last August, and it was the wish of the management, the workforce and the Government that the arrangements should proceed. But it has been agreed that, when the Bullock Committee reports, the arrangements now made will be reviewed.
§ Lord BROCKWAYMy Lords, is it not extraordinarily helpful that this arrangement should have been made at Harland and Wolff, where the employees are mostly Protestants, while at the same time negotiations are taking place in Londonderry in a firm in which the employees are mostly Catholics?
§ Lord JACQUESYes, my Lords; I would agree that this is exceedingly helpful. We should like to see it extended to other parts of the economy of Northern Ireland.
§ Baroness GAITSKELLMy Lords, does the noble Lord suggest that it is only in publicly-owned industries that one can have social democracy, or whatever one calls it?
§ Lord JACQUESMy Lords, not by any means; the Bullock Committee has not confined itself to that sector, but we should show an example.