§ Q14. Mr. Rostasked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on the progress of his talks with the TUC aimed at reaching a voluntary agreement for phase 3 of the Government's economic policy.
§ The Prime MinisterTogether with my right hon. Friends the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of State for 363W Employment and the Minister for Trade and Consumer Affairs, I held a further meeting with representatives of the TUC yesterday afternoon.
I made it clear that we were willing to discuss any of the matters in the memorandum which the General Council sent to the Government on 23rd May, and I said that among the matters which we would like to discuss with the TUC were its ideas on how to reconcile future arrangements for collective bargaining with the need to control the domestic causes of inflation.
It was agreed that our talks should continue and that at the next meeting there should be a full discussion of specific subjects proposed by the two sides including future arrangements for collective bargaining; prices; social policy; the working of the Industrial Relations Act; and ways of achieving the best use of the nation's productive resources.
I shall be meeting representatives of the CBI on 18th June and expect to have a further meeting with the TUC early in July.