§ Mr. David Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is yet able to make a statement about the future of the Manpower and Productivity Service.
§ Mr. R. CarrAfter reviewing the objectives of the Manpower and Productivity Service I have decided that it should concentrate in future on work related to the manpower and industrial relations functions of my Department. In addition to conciliation in industrial disputes the Service will continue to provide advice to industry on such matters as the efficient use of manpower, labour productivity, labour turnover and absenteeism, payment systems and personnel practices. It will no longer concern itself with questions of general efficiency outside those fields except to the extent necessary to carry out its main tasks.
The work done by the Service during the past two and a half years has been widely appreciated and I am sure it will continue to play an important part in improving industrial relations and in promoting the more efficient use of manpower.