HC Deb 24 May 1984 vol 60 cc534-5W
Mr. Adley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimates he has made of the effects on employment of prolonged industrial unrest in key industries.

Mr. Gummer

All industrial disputes put employment at risk. In the short-term, output of goods and services is lost and orders go to competitors, many of them overseas. In the longer term, customer confidence can be irreparably damaged and opportunities lost may never be recovered. The inevitable consequence is a loss of jobs.