HC Deb 19 February 1980 vol 979 cc124-5W
27. Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on his review of the law involving secondary action, following the McShane case.

Mr. Mayhew

My right hon. Friend has today published a consultative paper setting out proposals for changing the law on immunities.

43. Mr. Hal Miller

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to bring forward proposals to regulate secondary picketing, in the light of the recent case involving private steel firms.

Mr. Mayhew

Proposals to limit lawful picketing to a person's own place of work are already contained in the Employment Bill. My right hon. Friend has today published a consultative paper setting out proposals for changing the law on immunities in order to limit other forms of secondary action.

45. Mr. Renton

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with the Trades Union Congress or: appropriate clarification of the law regarding secondary picketing and secondary blacking.

Mr. Mayhew

My right hon. Friend has had a number of discussions with the TUC about the proposals contained in the Employment Bill, including those on secondary picketing. He hopes to have further discussion with the Congress about proposals for amending the law on trade union immunities which is contained in the working paper which is published today.

56. Mr. David Price

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, in the light of the steel strike, he feels any further changes in industrial legislation are necessary.

Mr. Mayhew

My right hon. Friend has been considering for some time the implications of the House of Lords' judgment in the case of Express Newspapers Ltd. v McShane, which confirmed that the immunity for secondary industrial action is now very wide. My right hon. Friend has today published a consultative paper setting out proposals for changing the law on immunities.

Mr. Les Huckfield

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further consideration he has given to the matter of actions taken by trade unions during an industrial dispute, which they consider to be in furtherance of that trade dispute.

Mr. Mayhew

My right hon. Friend has today published a consultative paper setting out proposals for changing the law on immunities.

Mr. Adley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further steps he intends to take to amend the law following the McShane case.

Mr. Mayhew

[pursuant to his reply, 18 February 1980]: My right hon. Friend has today published a consultative paper setting out proposals for changing the law on immunities.