HC Deb 19 November 1970 vol 806 cc470-1W
Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Employment in view of public concern about the treatment of outworkers, if he will now take steps to compel local authorities to keep a list of such workers; if he will consider introducing legislation imposing fines on people who do not comply with safety regulations and do not provide good conditions of employment for outworkers; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Dudley Smith

There are arrangements under which local authorities are sent lists of outworkers in certain trades to enable them to stop work in any place which is injurious or dangerous to health. My right hon. Friend has no plans to introduce new legislation on the subject, but it is, however, within the terms of reference of the Robens Committee.

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now take steps to prevent the exploitation of women and disabled people engaged in outwork at home; what investigations have been made by his Department regarding the rates of pay for such work; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Dudley Smith

I have no evidence of exploitation among such workers.

Home workers in certain industries come within scope of wages councils and their employers are required to pay them not less than the statutory minima prescribed. As part of their general enforcement duties wages inspectors examine the records of such payments and all complaints concerning payment of less than the statutory minima are investigated. Few infractions of the wages regulation orders have recently been disclosed in the course of these activities by the wages inspectorate.

STOPPAGES OF WORK DUE TO INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES
United Kingdom
1968 1969 January-October, 1970*
Per cent.
Proportion of stoppages beginning in period which lasted not more than 3 days … … … … … … 61.0 62.3 54.1
Thousands
Number of working days lost in stoppages beginning in period which lasted not more than 3 days … … … … 2,039† 1,075 863
Total working days lost in all stoppages beginning in the period 4,719 6,925 8,702
* Provisional.
† Includes 1½ million days lost in official one-day stoppage of engineering workers (15th May, 1968).

Mr. Rose

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many working days were lost as a result of the recent strikes by local authority employees.

Mrs. Castle

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many working days were lost in the recent strike of local government manual workers.

Mr. Paul Bryan

Complete figures are not yet available, but the provisional estimate for working days lost up to 31st October was 835,000.