§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement regarding the industrial dispute affecting registrars during the past 17 months; why in August he issued an Order in Council in connection with this dispute under the Registration of Service Act 1953; and what action he has taken or intends taking to resolve this dispute.
§ Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg:Registration officers are in dispute with the local authorities about their grading. Neither my right hon. Friend nor the Registrar General is party to the negotiations. I understand that the claim has now been referred to arbitration and that the industrial action has been terminated
As part of the industrial action, registration officers declined to send in certain returns thus denying the Registrar General the information necessary to carry out his statutory duties. The Registrar General, with my right hon. Friend's approval, issued regulations setting time limits for the returns to be made.