HC Deb 28 January 1971 vol 810 cc168-9W
Mr. Judd

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of current average earnings in the Portsmouth area; and whether he will make a statement on them in comparison with those in the South-East Region as a whole and to those in the country as a whole.

Mr. Bryan

Although estimates of average earnings in Portsmouth are not available, estimates for the Solent and other sub-divisions of the South East region are now available from the New Earnings Survey. They relate to April, 1970 and to the average gross weekly earnings of full-time adults.

in the opinion of the trades unions appear to be prejudiced.

Mr. R. Carr

Lord Wilberforce is not—and has not been for many years—a member of any political party. Other distinguished Judges have earlier in their career been active supporters of a particular political party, without prejudice to the highest standards of impartiality necessary to their office.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, before appointing Mr. James Mortimer as a member of the Wilberforce Committee of Inquiry into the power workers' dispute, he gave consideration to the fact that Mr. Mortimer had accepted a full-time paid appointment with the London Transport Board dealing with the wages and working conditions of the workers of this Board, some of whose wages are associated with and affected by the wages paid to power workers, and might for these reasons in the opinion of the trades unions appear to be prejudiced.

Mr. R. Carr

When the trade unions were consulted about possible appointments to the court, they themselves included Mr. Mortimer amongst those who might be considered; I can see no grounds for the suggestion that he will not carry out his task impartially.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, before appointing Mr. R. P. Brookes as a member of the Committee of Inquiry into the power workers' dispute, he considered the fact that he is a Conservative and a director of a big company who have given money to the political fund of the Conservative Party, and might for these reasons in the view of the trades unions appear to be prejudiced.

STOPPAGES OF WORK DUE TO INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES: UNITED KINGDOM
Stoppages beginning in year
1970 (provisional) 1969 1968
Number Percentage of total Number Percentage of total Number Percentage of total
Total (all causes) 3,888 100 3,116 100 2,378 100
of which:
wages disputes 2,454 63.1 1,783 57.2 1,230 51.7
employment of particular classes of persons* 542 13.9 486 15.6 479 20.1
other working arrangements, rules and discipline 607 15.6 569 18.3 500 21.0
trade union status 180 4.6 179 5.7 109 4.6
Stoppages beginning in year
1967 1966 1965
Number Percentage of total Number Percentage of total Number Percentage of total
Total (all causes) 2,116 100 1,937 100 2,354 100
of which:
wage disputes 986 46.6 883 45.6 1,180 50.1
employment of particular classes of persons* 428 20.2 397 20.5 420 17.8
other working arrangements, rules and discipline 562 26.6 556 28.7 626 26.6
trade union status 80 3.8 59 3.0 69 2.9
*Comprises demarcation dispute; disputes concerning the employment or discharge of workers (including redundancy questions); other disputes mainly concerning personnel questions