South Africa (Hansard, 29 March 1990)

§ Mr. Redwood

By 6 March 1990, a total of 111 companies had submitted reports to the DTI under the code of conduct. Copies of the reports and of the Department's analysis and summary have, as in previous years, been placed in the Library of each House. These documents may also be inspected at the Department's export market information centre, at the British embassy in Pretoria, at the British consulate-general in Johannesburg, and at the British consulates in Cape Town and Durban.

The analysis and summary is the fourth since the adoption of the revised code of conduct by EC Foreign Ministers in November 1985. Reports were received from all British companies whose interests are known or believed to warrant a full report under the code, with only one exception. This particular company has been undergoing reorganisation in South Africa and should be in a position to provide a report for next year's analysis and summary.

The reporting period under review has seen a further reduction in the number of black employees of British subsidiaries being paid below the code's recommended minimum level, with companies reports indicating that now over 98 per cent. were paid above this level. Companies' reports also indicated that the level of their involvement with trade unions representing black workers increased, with the majority of companies reporting formal involvement with the trade unions. In addition, companies continued to report impressive levels of involvement in projects benefiting not only their employees and their families but also the wider communities from which their workforces were drawn. Companies also continued to encourage the growth of black businesses.

The Government are once more grateful to companies for their continued co-operation in providing reports, and urges them to maintain this performance and to comply fully with the code.