HL Deb 01 October 1976 vol 374 cc753-4

2.42 p.m.

Baroness VICKERS

My 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 action they have taken in asking the advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service to undertake a general inquiry into the conditions in which homeworkers are employed and to which reference was made in the House of Commons on 28th April 1975 (Col. 161).

Lord JACQUES

My Lords, The Government's programme of references of wages councils to the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service includes two councils covering industries in which significant numbers of homeworkers are employed. It is expected that one of these references will be made quite shortly.

Baroness VICKERS

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that reply, may I ask him whether he read Hansard of 28th April, 1975, col. 161, in which it was stated by the Government: We are amending the definition of 'worker' in the Wages Council Act so that it clearly covers homeworkers. When is this going to take place?

Lord JACQUES

My Lords, my understanding is that the wages councils include homeworkers in their respective industries at the moment. I am even advised that if, for example, at some stage it was found that a wages council was not necessarily in the industry, it would be possible to continue the wages council for that part for which it is necessary and, in particular, homeworkers.