§ Mr. Goldingasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether he will give an assurance that it is his policy to leave the question of miners' pay levels to be settled by free negotiation by the National Coal Board and the National Union of Miners;
(2) whether he will give an assurance that it is his policy to leave the question of railwaymen's pay to be settled between the Board and the National Union of Railwaymen and the Amalgamated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen;
(3) whether he will give an assurance that it is his policy to leave the question of steelworkers' pay to be settled by free collective bargaining;
(4) what communication he has sent to the chairmen of nationalised boards on the question of pay; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. R. CarrI have not written to the chairmen of nationalised industries about the question of pay. Together with some of my colleagues, I met the chairmen of major nationalised industries on 6th August to discuss the problem of cost inflation. We explained that the Government had no intention of interfering with the processes of free collective bargaining by imposing a statutory incomes policy or by laying down norms on precise criteria for universal application. We stressed, however, that it was essential that the present inflationary trend in pay settlements should be brought under control. The conclusion reached was that responsibility for negotiating pay settlements which take into account the national interest must rest on individual employers—whether in the public services, the nationalised industries or the private sector.
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§ Mr. Goldingasked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received on the subject of low pay; and what his response to these representations has been.
§ Mr. BryanMy right hon. Friend has received letters about low pay from the Trades Union Congress, the Child Poverty Action Group, and from individual members of the public. The T.U.C. informed us that it had decided for the present that the best way of improving the position of low-paid workers was to use the normal processes of collective bargaining. The Government will be giving further consideration to the subject in the light of the inquiries now being carried out by the National Board for Prices and Incomes in three industries where pay is relatively low.
§ Mr. McNamaraasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those companies and trade associations from whom he has requested prior notification of wage increases.
§ Mr. BryanThe following firms and employers' organisations in the private sector have been asked to notify particulars of their major pay settlements to my Department: