§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the statutory provisions governing the rights and obligations of pickets during industrial disputes and the rights and obligations of those who are seeking to discharge their normal business or commercial commitments;
(2) if he will introduce legislation to clarify the rights and obligations of em- 243W ployees against whom picketing is directed either during their access to or at their place of work;
(3) if he will list the statutory provisions governing the impeding of the movement of vehicles and pedestrians by pickets during an industrial dispute.
§ Mr. Biffenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the statutory provisions governing peaceful picketing, in the light of recent court judgments; and if he will indicate by what means he proposes to make the state of the law publicly known.
§ Mr. Cordleasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the statutory provisions relating to the right to picket.
§ Mr. R. CarrPicketing in furtherance or contemplation of an industrial dispute must be carried out solely for the purpose of peacefully obtaining or communicating information and/or peacefully persuading someone to work or not to work.
The right to engage in peaceful picketing has long been protected by the law. That protection is continued by Section 134 of the Industrial Relations Act 1971, but it does not extend to picketing which involves violence or intimidation; such picketing is a clear breach of the criminal law.
In particular, the law does not sanction picketing in such numbers as to cause intimidation or obstruction. Recent decisions of the courts confirm that a picket is not entitled to stop the driver of a vehicle or anyone else against his will and compel him to listen to what the picket has to say.
Under the civil law an aggrieved party can seek relief against picketing which involves an unfair industrial practice or a civil wrong such as trespass or nuisance.