§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his proposals for trades union recognition in workplaces are conditional upon those employees indicating separately that they wish the unions to represent them in collective bargaining with management. [60380]
§ Mr. Ian McCartneyThe Government intend that there will be three gateways to union recognition: by voluntary agreement, as at present, which is likely to be the most frequently used route; automatically, where a union or group of unions has more than 50% of the relevant employees as members; or by a majority and at least 40% or those eligible to vote supporting recognition in a ballot. The Government will announce in due course detailed measures to give effect to these proposals.