HC Deb 25 July 1978 vol 954 cc646-7W
Mr. Adley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if it is his policy to instruct jobcentres or other sections of his Department to he cognisant of industrial disputes in deciding whether or not to recommend people for employment at premises involved in disputes.

Mr. Harold Walker

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission, which is responsible for the employment service, that guidance is given to staff on the handling of vacancies notified by a firm where a trade dispute exists. It is for local management to decide without reference to the merits or demerits of the issue at dispute whether or not the submission of job seekers is likely to lead to a worsening of industrial relations at the establishment concerned. If it is decided

STOPPAGES OF WORK DUE TO INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES: UNITED KINGDOM
Period Number of stoppages beginning in period Working days lost in all stoppages in progress in period
July 1945-October 1951 11,154 13,132,000
November 1951-September 1964 30,245 45,087,000
October 1964-May 1970 14,501 24,073,000
June 1970-February 1974 9,738 55,895,000
March 1974-May 1978 10,657 32,713,000

Notes:

1. The figures for 1978 are provisional.

2. The figures for stoppages in coal-mining, other than for the national stoppage of 10th February-8th March 1974, are not available for December 1973-March 1974.

3. The figures relate to stoppages of work due to disputes connected with terms and conditions of employment. They exclude stoppages involving fewer than ten workers and those which lasted less than one day, except any in which the aggregate number of working days lost exceeded 100.