HL Deb 20 May 1982 vol 430 cc871-2WA
Lord Wedderburn of Charlton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What evidence exists which bears directly upon the number of persons dismissed from employment to which a union membership agreement applied between 16th September 1974 and 15th August 1980 (who did not bring or, if they brought, did not succeed in proceedings before an industrial tribunal for unfair dismissal) who would have succeeded in such proceedings if the provisions of the Employment Act 1980 had been in effect.

Earl Ferrers

Evidence which bears directly upon the number of such persons will he forthcoming once the provisions of the Employment Bill, which enable certain such persons to apply for compensation, are in effect and applications for compensation can be made. Evidence, which hears indirectly on this question, exists in the work of two researchers, Professor John Gennard and Miss Helen Jackson.

Lord Wedderburn of Charlton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the work of Professor John Gennard and of Miss Helen Jackson referred to in the Answer of the Earl Ferrers of Wednesday, 14th April 1982 (col. 375–6); whether that work is published and available; if so, what is its title and reference; and, in so far as it is not, whether that work will be either published or made available in the Library of the House.

Earl Ferrers

The work referred to of Professor John Gennard is work commissioned by the Department of Employment on the closed shop in British industry. The research is not yet complete but the Government expect that, once completed, it will be published under the name of Professor Gennard and his team. The work of Miss Helen Jackson referred to, comprises six years' investigation into the closed shop to which Miss Jackson made reference in an article inThe Times of 29th August 1981. The Government have no firm information on whether, and if so when, this work will be published.