§ Mr. Biffenasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she has now received a progress report on the operation of the pay and productivity agreement of 15th November, 1968, concering boilermakers, shipwrights and blacksmiths employed by the Tyne Shipbuilding Consortium; and what has been the estimated percentage increase in productivity since that date.
§ Mr. HattersleyThe company and the union recently began negotiations on changes in the bonus payments scheme and these negotiations are not yet formally concluded. In due course, I understand that the revised scheme will be notified to my Department, but in view of these developments the company is not submitting a progress report on the operation of the original agreement.