HL Deb 02 November 1989 vol 512 cc343-4

3.26 p.m.

Lord McCarthy asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they intend to publish the article containing the full analysis of the National Opinion Poll survey summarised in paragraph 2.22 of the Green Paper Removing Barriers to Employment.

Lord Strathclyde

My Lords, an article containing a full analysis of the data obtained in the survey carried out by NOP Market Research Limited will be published in the next issue of the Employment Gazette, which will be available on 9th November.

Lord McCarthy

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply. Is it likely that the article will explain how it comes about that this tiny survey, which asked only 25 people who were in pre-entry closed shops, now tells us that there are 1.3 million in pre-entry closed shops? Where does that figure come from?

Lord Strathclyde

My Lords, the noble Lord will have to be a little patient and wait until 9th November to find out.

Baroness Turner of Camden

My Lords, does the Minister agree that it is a slender sample upon which to base far-reaching proposals in relation to closed shops? Is it not a fact that closed shops now exist only where there has been a substantial majority in a ballot of the workforce? I believe that 80 per cent. of the workforce must be in favour. Is it not an interference with democracy to try to come along now and make further changes in the current legislation?

Lord Strathclyde

My Lords, the Question referred to a request for information. The information will be published on 9th November. I do not understand how the noble Baroness can say what she has just said without having looked at the evidence. I am sure that when it comes out on 9th November both the noble Lord, Lord McCarthy, and the noble Baroness, Lady Turner, will be able to ask plenty of questions which I shall be delighted to answer.

Lord Rochester

My Lords, does the noble Lord accept that we on these Benches have no love for the pre-entry closed shop, a matter that features prominently in this survey? If I may speak more generally, is it not about time that the Government began to think less in terms of continuing restrictive legislation and more about the need to encourage greater co-operation between management and employees and their representatives in the workforce?

Lord Strathclyde

My Lords, that has always been one of the aims of this Government.

Lord Campbell of Alloway

My Lords, on the subject of democracy, is it not one of the problems of the closed shop that many employees either agree or collude with trade unions to maintain a closed shop in antithesis to the concept of democracy? Is not that one of the reasons the Government are seeking, as a matter of policy, to put an end to the closed shop?

Lord Strathclyde

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for that point. I hope that we shall have an opportunity to debate the pre-entry closed shop later.

Lord McCarthy

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that, according to the press statement that the Government have already issued, 600,000 of the people in pre-entry closed shops must be provincial actors, since that is the only form of closed shop which operates in that way? Where are the 600,000 actors who are in closed shops, if they are not in Equity?

Lord Strathclyde

My Lords, I hope that the noble Lord will find the answer to that question next week when he reads the information in the paper.