§ Mr. Boothasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity whether she will now intervene in the dispute at Vickers Limited, Barrow, as was done in the recent disputes in the car industry; and why she has not yet done so, in view of the requests made to her Department by the honourable Member for Barrow-in-Furness on 10th July and subsequently.
§ Mr. HattersleyOfficers of my Department have been in close touch with the company and the union since the dispute began. It was not, however, possible as a result of these talks to find a basis on which my Department could bring the two sides together for joint discussions. Close contact is, however, being maintained with both sides and my Department will not hesitate to intervene if at any time this seems useful.