§ Mr. Skeetasked the Minister for the Civil Service how many stoppages, strikes and disputes have occurred during the past 12 months covering the supply of official papers to the Vote Office of the House of Commons; and what were the grounds for the disputes in each case.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerDuring the 12 months up to 18th June 1973 the supply of official papers to the Vote Office of the House of Commons has been affected 23 times; on four occasions because of stoppages in production, on three occasions because of strikes and on 17 occasions because of disputes.
Stoppages were due on two occasions to complaints about working conditions at the Parliamentary Printing Press; the other two stoppages were due to workers' sympathy with gaoled dockers and disagreement over some ancillary payments.
Strikes were caused on one occasion by protest action against the Industrial Relations Act and on two occasions as a result of the Trades Union Congress call to protest against the pay freeze.
On four occasions disputes were about methods of working and on four other occasions because of a pay claim by linotype operators. Action by members of the Civil and Public Service Association who were protesting against the pay freeze prevented the printing press on nine other occasions from delivering on time the official papers it had printed.