§ Lieut.-Commander CHILCOTTasked the Prime Minister whether the Government realise the importance in the 816W national interest of securing a settlement of the moulders' strike, in view of the loss of trade and employment in the engineering and other industries caused thereby; and what steps the Government are faking to bring the dispute to an end?
§ Sir R. HORNEI have been asked to reply to this question. The progress of this dispute has been carefully watched by my Department. I understand that, following on the recent awards of the Court of Arbitration, given on 5th November, relating to wages in the engineering trade, the question of reopening negotiations between the Engineering Employers' Federation arid the Ironfounders' Societies is being considered by those bodies.