§ Mr. Bakerasked the Secretary of State for Employment, in the light of the decision by the American Government to withdraw their support from the International Labour Organisation, whether he intends that the United Kingdom should also withdraw from this organisation.
§ Mr. John Grant:No. The Government very much regret the circumstances which led to the United States' decision to withdraw from the International Labour Organisation. We share many of the United States' concerns at recent trends within the organisation, but the Government have no intention that the United Kingdom should withdraw. The ILO since its foundation in 1919 has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion of social justice, to the improvement of international labour standards and working conditions and to the defence of human and trade union rights throughout the world, and the Government intend to continue to make every effort to help 178W the organisation to pursue these objectives.