§ Mr. BrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received on the future of wages councils; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. EggarI refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. Friend the former Minister of State gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Kent (Mr. Rowe) on 21 March,Official Report, columns 555–56. Reconsideration of the responses has shown that the second sentence in the narrative paragraph following the table in that reply should have read: "Replies by employer bodies represented on the six largest councils, which embrace 94 per cent. of the workers covered by the system, show that a majority of respondents want the councils abolished". Of the 138 seats held by employer bodies on these councils 83 are held by bodies wanting abolition, 30 by those wanting retention and 25 by non-respondents.