§ Mr. Tebbitasked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the commitment of the Scottish mineworkers to press for a £20 per week pay increase, he will reconsider his reliance on a social contract to limit wage demands and introduce a statutory incomes policy.
§ Mr. Albert BoothThis will be one resolution among others to be considered at the National Union of Mineworkers' annual conference in July. I am sure that the NUM will recognise that it now has a Government who are prepared, as part of their whole range of social and economic policies, to secure a fairer distribution of the national wealth, to take action to ensure, with their co-operation, the long-term prosperity of the industry and its workers. I would expect the union to respond accordingly and see no reason to reconsider our intention to abolish the statutory controls over pay.