52. Mr. Bob Brownasked the Secretary of State for Employment, in view of his instructions to his Department in the municipal workers dispute, what proposals he now has for the future of his Department's conciliation section.
§ Mr. R. CarrMy intention is that the work of the Department's conciliation service should continue to be guided by the national interest.
§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether it is his policy to withhold the conciliation services of his Department in the case of unofficial strikes; and under what circumstances these services may be called upon.
§ Mr. BryanIt is within my discretion whether the help of the Department's conciliation service is offered in any particular case. Each situation is, of course carefully considered, but in the case of unofficial strikes, the long-standing practice has been to deal with official union representatives, not with the leaders of unofficial movements.