HC Deb 16 November 1976 vol 919 cc524-5W
Mr. Wigley

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of the number of inquiries received from firms interested in opening a factory in Wales: (a) during the current year and (b) during each of the previous five years, analysing the inquiries into companies based in the rest of the United Kingdom, Europe, North America and the rest of the world.

Mr. John Morris

The following is the information requested.

the Employment Protection Act are not granted without a thorough investigation to establish that the applicant organisations are genuinely independent.

42. Mr. Madel

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he plans to alter the criteria that the certification officer must follow as laid down by Acts of Parliament before granting a certificate of independence to a trade union; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Harold Walker

While I have no reason to believe that the certification officer, who is, of course, independent, takes his decisions without thorough investigation, we are at present consulting the main interested organisations about possible changes in the certification arrangements. I am not yet in a position to say what action we shall take.