HC Deb 17 February 1978 vol 944 cc387-8W
Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff are available within his Department to deal with fair wage resolution claims; how many are currently carrying out such work; and what are their grades.

Mr. Harold Walker

Claims under the fair wages resolution are currently dealt with by five staff. One higher executive officer and one clerical officer are engaged full-time in handling claims and a principal, legal assistant and executive officer spend part of their time on this work. These numbers can be adjusted to meet changes in workload.

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many claims made under the fair wages resolution in the past three years have been made as a result of the main contractor carrying out his contractual obligations to ensure that sub-contractors also paid fair wages

Mr. Harold Walker

In the three years to 31st December 1977 11 claims were made under the fair wages resolution against subconstractors, all of them by trade unions.

Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current number of fair wages resolution claims registered with his Department, the number awaiting decision by the central arbitration committee, the average length of time being taken between stages of the process of determination and any proposals he has to cut this waiting time.

Mr. Harold Walker

On 31st January 1978, 129 claims made under the resolution were being dealt with by my Department. Of these 40 had been referred to the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service for conciliation and 89 were awaiting confirmation of a current contract containing the Fair Wages Resolution 1946, and reference to the Central Arbitration Committee. A further 116 claims had been referred to the Central Arbitration Committee for decision.

The usual time taken for my Department to establish a current contract, for the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service to report on its efforts to conciliate and for a formal reference to be made to the Central Arbitration Committee is about six weeks. Owing to the measure of work on the Central Arbitration Committee, there is at present a further period of about 16 to 20 weeks before an award is made. The number of deputy chairmen of the Committee has been increased to 18 and I am informed by the Committee that it is taking other steps, including opening a new office in Manchester in addition to those in London and Birmingham, and holding more frequent hearings, which should assist in reducing the present delays in hearing cases.