§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the most recent ratio of vacancies to persons employed in Wales and in each region of England, respectively.
§ Mr. Jim LesterThe following table gives the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at January 1980 and the provisional numbers of employees in employment at September 1979, the latest date for which employment information is available. The vacancy figures relate only to those notified to employment offices and careers offices; vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of this, and possible duplication between the separate figures for employment offices and careers offices, the two figures should not be added together and cannot be used to provide the ratios requested.
trade unions in Great Britain greater scope for secondary industrial action than does trade union law in other countries.
From the information available to my Department it would appear that closed shop arrangements are unlawful in most member countries with the exception, in certain circumstances, of Ireland and Netherlands.
§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the immunities from normal legal actions which trade unions enjoy.
§ Mr. MayhewSection 14 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1974 provides trade unions—and employers' associations—with immunity from actions in tort against them in their own name 293W for all acts done in contemplation or furtherance of a trade dispute. It also provides immunity from any action in tort arising out of other acts except where the action is in respect of negligence, nuisance or breach of duty resulting in personal injury, or of breach of any duty in connection with the ownership, occupation, possession, control or use of property.
Section 13 of the 1974 Act—as amended by the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Amendment) Act 1976—provides certain immunities for individuals for acts done in contemplation or furtherance of a trade dispute which induce or threaten breaches of contracts or interference with their performance.
1 January 1975 1 January 1980 Office Cadre Office Cadre Attleborough, Employment Office … 1 Attleborough, Employment Office … 1½ Cromer, Employment Office … 4 Cromer, Employment Office … 4 Dereham, Employment Office … 3 Dereham, Employment Office … 4 Diss, Employment Office … 4½ Diss, Jobcentre … 5 Downham Market, Employment Office 3 Downham Market, Jobcentre … 3 Fakenham, Employment Office … 3 Fakenham, Employment Office … 4 Great Yarmouth, Employment Office … 17½ Great Yarmouth, Jobcentre … 19. Hunstanton, Employment Office … 2 Hunstanton, Employment Office … 1 Kings Lynn, Employment Office … 14½ Kings Lynn, Jobcentre … 20 North Walsham, Employment Office … 2½ North Walsham, Jobcentre … 2½ Norwich, Employment Office … 39 Norwich, Employment Office … 49½ Swaffham, Employment Office … 2 Swaffham, Jobcentre … 1½ Thetford, Employment Office … 5 Thetford, Jobcentre … 5 Wymondham, Employment Office … 5 Wymondham, Employment Office … 4½ There will be no immediate increase in staff when Norwich jobcentre opens. However, if business increases, as is anticipated, this will be reviewed in the light of the jobcentre's need and the Government's plans to reduce Civil Service staffing levels.