HC Deb 11 March 1964 vol 691 c65W
72 and 73. Mr. Dodds

asked the Minister of Labour (1) in view of the rapid introduction of scientific, technological and economic innovations and the consequent disturbance in the labour market, what discussions and experiments his Department is conducting to apply these new techniques and ideas in a beneficial manner;

(2) what case studies have been made by his Department of the effect of automation on jobs and employment; and what have been the results.

Mr. Godber

It is a part of the day-to-day work of the officers of my Industrial Relations Advisory Service to collect information about good practice in industry and to disseminate it more widely. The Industrial Training Bill and the several steps taken in collaboration with industry to improve the security and status of workers generally will help to ease such changes of job as technological change makes necessary. As regards the studies being made by my Department, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Brentford and Chiswick (Mr. Dudley Smith) on 27th January. The results of the studies will be published in due course.