§ Mr. Cooperasked the Minister of Labour whether he will make a statement on the results of the National Joint Advisory Council's inquiry into the efficient use of manpower.
§ Mr. Iain Macleod:As I informed the House on 1st May, 1956, the National 36W Joint Advisory Council decided in the spring of last year to draw the attention of employers and trade unions in all industries to the urgent need for a close examination of the restrictive practices which impede the full and efficient use of manpower. Each industry was invited to submit a report to the Council on the action it was taking or proposing to take. Although a number of answers are still outstanding, those so far received cover about 80 per cent, of the employees in British industry.
About one-third of the industries who have replied report that they have no serious difficulties in regard to restrictive practices. Of the remainder, the great majority either have, or are establishing, machinery to examine the problem on a joint basis. A small number of industries, amounting to rather less than one-sixth of all who have replied, have so far, for various reasons, been unable to embark on a joint examination of their problems.
The replies from those who have no particular problem in this field call for no further action. The second group, where joint machinery has been established, includes a number of very important industries and the Council considers it desirable to ensure that the machinery for dealing with any outstanding problems is actively working. These industries have therefore been notified that they will be approached again in due course for a further report on the effectiveness of their arrangements. In the third group the difficulties in the way of joint examination varied considerably, and the Council is taking follow-up action according to the circumstances of each case. Follow-up action has also been taken in respect of industries which had not replied to the original inquiry, and their replies are currently being received.
Generally speaking, the replies offer encouraging evidence of the willingness of employers and trade unions throughout the greater part of British industry to discuss and seek satisfactory solutions of the problems of restrictive practices. A high proportion of the industries concerned have submitted full and detailed reports which clearly show that the question is being looked into fully, often by means of a joint committee appointed for the purpose, with useful results. I am convinced that this is the most fruitful approach to a very difficult problem.