Mr. Richard Shepherasked the Prime Minister if she will take steps to undertake a national referendum of the closed shop and recommend to the House the implementation of the result.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government are opposed to the principle of the closed shop and share fully the public indignation which recent cases involving a number of local authority employees have caused. We have already, after thorough public consultations, introduced new protection for those affected by closed shops, in the Employment Act 1980, and its accompanying code of practice. More recently, in January, the Government published a Green Paper—Cmnd. 8128—on the subject of trade union immunities which discusses further measures, including some relating to closed shops, and we have asked for comments on the Green Paper by 30 June. In the circumstances, I do not believe that a referendum would be useful, but I would urge all those with experience of the operation of closed shops to submit their views to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment by 30 June.