Social Contract (Hansard, 22 November 1974)

§ Mr. Rost
asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he now has any plans to seek powers to apply sanctions for breaches of the social contract in the light of recent pay settlements.

§ Mr. Booth
No.

§ Mr. Rost
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what requests he has had from employers negotiating pay settlements who seek to observe the guidelines of the social contract and, by doing so, incur financial penalties by breaking legally binding delivery contracts with their customers; and what reply he has sent.

§ Mr. Booth
My right hon. Friend has had no such requests.
533W

§ Mr. Rost
asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what requests for advice he has had from employers engaged in pay negotiations when a strike is already in progress who wish to reach a settlement within the guidelines of the social contract; and what reply he has sent;
(2) what requests he has had for advice on how the social contract may be observed by negotiators in a dispute, when employers can only reach a settlement of a strike by breaking the guidelines of the social contract; and what reply he has sent.

§ Mr. Booth
The responsibility for settlements lies with those who negotiate them, but in the few cases where advice has been sought from my right hon. Friend he has urged the importance of attempting to reach a settlement within the guidelines.

Mr. Rest
asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will seek powers to provide compensation to companies which incur financial penalties through breaking legally binding contracts with customers as a result of strikes due to employers not granting pay settlements which would be in breach of the guidelines of the social contract.

§ Mr. Booth
No.

§ Mr. Rost
asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any

WAGE COSTS AND OUTPUT—NCB COLLIERIES

Wage costs per 1,000 tons

Wages and wages charge^*(£m.) Saleable output (m. tons) at current prices (£) at constant prices^*(£)

1970–71 … … 382.6 133.3 2,870 2,870

1971–72 … … 388.6 109.2 3,559 3,257

1972–73 … … 489.6 129.8 3,772 3,224

1973–74 … … 486.2 97.1 5,007 3,874

April—June 1974 … … N.A. 28.2 N.A. N.A.

July—September 1974 … … N.A. 25.2 N.A. N.A.

^*Wage costs expressed at constant 1970–71 prices using the general index of retail prices as a deflator.

WAGE COSTS AND OUTPUT—NCB COLLIERIES
					Wage costs per 1,000 tons
			Wages and wages charge^*(£m.)	Saleable output (m. tons)	at current prices (£)	at constant prices^*(£)
1970–71	…	…	382.6	133.3	2,870	2,870
1971–72	…	…	388.6	109.2	3,559	3,257
1972–73	…	…	489.6	129.8	3,772	3,224
1973–74	…	…	486.2	97.1	5,007	3,874
April—June 1974	…	…	N.A.	28.2	N.A.	N.A.
July—September 1974	…	…	N.A.	25.2	N.A.	N.A.
^*Wage costs expressed at constant 1970–71 prices using the general index of retail prices as a deflator.