§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to publish a consultative document concerning time off from work for 644W trade union officials to carry out their industrial relations duties and for employees to perform public duties.
§ Mr. BoothThe Employment Protection Bill lays duties on employers to allow reasonable time off work to trade union officials for the performance of their industrial relations duties, and to trade union members for participation in union activities. Under the Bill, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has a duty to produce a code of practice giving practical guidance on the application of these provisions of the Bill. Before issuing such a code the Service has to publish a draft. I do not intend that the provisions placing the duties on employers to allow reasonable time off will be brought into effect until the Service has issued the relevant code of practice. The first step will be to bring into effect early in the New Year the provisions of the Bill which put the Service on a statutory basis and place the duty of making a code on the service.
The Act also places a duty on employers to allow reasonable time off to employees for the performance of certain public duties. There is no requirement that that duty should be supported by a code of practice; and there is no intention to issue a consultative document about the operation of this duty. The duty will be brought into effect in due course as the Employment Protection Bill is implemented.