HC Deb 26 June 1974 vol 875 cc456-7W
Mr. Ronald Bell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will issue general directions to nationalised industries to insert into invitations for tenders and into works contracts a condition that the labour force used by contractors shall be directly employed by main contractors or subcontractors from them;

(2) whether he will make it the policy of his Department to insert into invitations for tenders and into works contracts a condition that the labour force used by contractors shall be directly employed by main contractors or subcontractors from them;

(3) whether he will ask local authorities to insert into invitations for tenders and into works contracts a condition that the labour force used by contractors shall be directly employed by main contractors or subcontractors from them.

Mr. John Silkin

As my right hon. Friend said in answer to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Houghton-le-Spring (Mr. Urwin) on 24th June, I hope that we shall soon be able to introduce a Bill on the "lump". The position of public sector authorities, including my Department, local authorities and nationalised industries, will need to be considered later in that context and it would not be appropriate to seek to introduce changes in relation to public sector works contracts generally at this stage.