§ Mr. Cyril Smithasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list in the Official Report the works councils and workers' action committees which were officially consulted in the steel industry review; and how much time was allocated to the Ebbw Vale Steelworks Works Council for oral evidence to the Minister of State.
§ Mr. MeacherIn the course of his review of the closure proposals covered by his Interim Report my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State, Lord Beswick, held five tripartite meetings with the British Steel Corporation and the TUC Steel Committee, whose delegation in each case included local representatives of the appropriate workforce.
He also held meetings with the following organisations representing workers in the industry: Ebbw Vale Works Council, Ebbw Vale Joint Craft Association, East Moors Works Council, Hartlepool Works
370W
§ Mr. MeacherThe only information obtained on a comparable basis for inward and outward investment in manufacturing industry relates to net direct investment other than oil and is shown in the table below. Inward direct investment is investment in United Kingdom branches, subsidiaries and associates by all related concerns overseas; outward direct investment is investment in overseas branches, subsidiaries and associates by all United Kingdom companies irrespective of their control.
Council, Shelton Works Council, Shotton Trade Union Steel Industry Consultative Committee, Steel Industry Management Association, Steel Industry Management Association (Shotton Branch). In addition meetings were held with the relevant local authorities and Members of Parliament.
No rigid time limits were imposed at any of the meetings.
The two meetings at which the Ebbw Vale Works Council presented oral evidence lasted about four hours in all.
§ Mr. Cyril Smithasked the Secretary of State for Industry what were the names and qualifications of the indepedent assessors used by his Department in the review of the steel industry strategy and considered by the Department in the production of the departmental report on the industry.
§ Mr. MeacherWhen preparing his recent Interim Report on Steel Closures my right hon. and noble Friend received advice from officials in my Department and other Departments, but independent assessors were not used.