§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the latest position regarding the local office dispute in Birmingham.
§ Mr. NewtonFollowing my reply to the hon. Member's question on 11 November—[Vol. 31, c.260–1]—talks continued at length with departmental trade union officials. Although an agreement for a return to work was reached for a second time with the Civil and Public Services Association and recommended by its national executive committee, it was rejected by mass meetings of strikers on 19 November. Since then the unions have sought to increase industrial action by calling on their members to withdraw co-operation in manning the emergency payment centres, to extend the strike outside Birmingham, and to take part in a one-day Department-wide strike on 3 December. We remain convinced that we have responded constructively and reasonably to the issues raised in the dispute, but, in view of the union's decision to seek to escalate action, we have now felt obliged to withdraw the proposals contained in the agreement for a return to work.
Perry Barr local office reopened to the public on 25 November. The 10 other offices in Birmingham remain closed, but the emergency payment centres have continued to work normally and there has been no extension of this industrial action to other offices.