§ Mr. Ron Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement in regard to the development of industrial democracy in British Aerospace.
§ Mr. KaufmanOn 6th December 1977 my right hon. Friend laid before each House of Parliament copies of the report which British Aerospace had submitted in accordance with section 5(3) of the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977. The corporation has kept us closely informed of developments since then and my right hon. Friend has today laid before each House of Parliament copies of a progress report which was submitted to him in August.
The report encloses the final joint report agreed by British Aerospace and the consultative committee of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions in February 1978. The corporation's report records the differences of attitude and opinion on industrial democracy between members of CSEU unions and 413W other organisations which have emerged during discussions at each factory. The corporation now proposes to develop further its discussions with all its employees and their appropriate representatives to establish how its agreement with the CSEU can acceptably be related to the development of a single democratic structure embracing all its employees. If, after consultations, there is failure at any site to achieve this single structure, the corporation says that it will need to consider the alternative of a parallel structure. I have asked British Aerospace to report regularly to me on the progress of discussions and I hope to receive the first of these reports early next year. I shall continue to inform the House of significant developments.