§ Mr. David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps he is taking to increase staff participation within the publicly-owned industries for which he has ultimate accountability; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldThe Government have set up a committee of inquiry under Lord Bullock to advise on questions relating to representation at board level in the private sector, and have also set in hand a study of the role of employees in relation to decision-making in the nationalised industries. Co-ordinated studies covering the public services, including both central and local government, and related bodies have also been initiated. The intention is that the various studies should be completed in time for the Government to be able to take an overall view of the private and public sectors after the Bullock Committee reports.
More particularly, the Post Office Board and the Council of Post Office Unions have, at my right hon. Friend's request, entered into discussions about the 239W possibility of an experiment in industrial democracy in the Post Office, and he has asked the two sides to let him have their proposals as soon as they can. The Industry Act 1975 requires the National Enterprise Board to promote industrial democracy in the undertakings which it controls. Most encouraging progress, to which the Government attach high importance, has been made within British Leyland. The Bill to take the aircraft and shipbuilding industries into public ownership imposes a duty on the new corporations to promote industrial democracy in a strong and organic form.
However, these initiatives should not be interpreted as indicative of the Government's definitive views on the question of industrial democracy in the nationalised industries as a whole. The Government will not be in a position to reach a final view on this until they have received and considered the reports of the Bullock Committee and the public sector studies.