asked the Minister of Labour which industrial training boards have so far imposed a levy; and whether he will make a statement on the general progress of these boards.

I have approved the levy proposals submitted by the Wool Industry Training Board and will make an Order shortly to give effect to them. The Iron and Steel, Construction, and Engineering Boards have submitted levy proposals and I am considering them. All the boards have established committees to consider various aspects of training, and they are engaged in building up the staffs they will require for the full discharge of their responsibilities.

Can the Minister tell us the sort of level at which these levies will be and whether the boards have already determined any figures? Can he give some guide as to how this is going? Can he also explain an answer which he gave on 14th April to one of his hon. Friends when he referred to the costs which he himself is reimbursing? I am not too clear of the extent of the reimbursement which he is making, particularly with regard to the period of the first five years. He refers to a figure of 25 per cent. Does that refer to all the costs or only to particular aspects of the costs?

In reply to the latter part of that supplementary question, I should first like to look at the actual answer that I gave. As to the first part of the question relating to the rate of the levy, this information will be contained in the levy Orders as they are submitted.

asked the Minister of Labour how many additional industrial training boards he intends to set up.

It is my intention to establish training boards for most activities of industry and commerce, but I cannot say at this stage how many additional boards there will be. The number will depend partly on the range of activities covered by each board.

I thank my right hon. Friend for that encouraging reply. Having regard to the progress which he has made in the past six months, can my right hon. Friend say when he expects that the whole of British industry will be covered by these boards, and, in particular, when a board will be set up for the retail distributive industry?

I am unable to answer the last part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question. If he asks me to hazard a guess as to the number of industrial training boards, I would say that it will be about 25. I imagine that they should all have been established within three years from now.

Having regard to what the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley (Mr. Ioan L. Evans) said in his supplementary question, will the Minister confirm, with reference to his progress in the past six months, that he has only just completed one training board of which I had already announced the chairman, in addition to the four which I had already set up, and, in fact, his progress in the past six months has been extremely slow compared with the previous six months?

I do not confirm anything of the sort. We are making very rapid progress at present. If I may say so, the right hon. Gentleman always so delights in the great sensual joy of the beginning of conception that he forgets that he has left to me the agony of the delivery.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will hold consultations with the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to promote legislation to provide wage-related unemployment benefit.

The provision of wage-related unemployment benefit is already being considered by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance.

When I put this Question down I did not realise that we shall be having an opportunity of discussing this matter later today. I shall not, therefore, pursue it further at the moment except to ask why the Minister does not think it necessary that he should be involved in these discussions. Is it not important that this legislation should come forward; in fact, should it not have come forward before now?

On the latter point, I know that some people think that priority should be given to the subject of wage-related unemployment benefit. I do not necessarily agree, but I do agree that this is an interesting and important subject which can be better debated later today.

asked the Minister of Labour what reports have so far been issued by the Manpower Research Unit; and what further reports he is expecting before the end of the year.

The Manpower Research Unit's first report "The Pattern of the Future" was published in August 1964. A report on "The Metal Industries" will appear on Wednesday and I hope two further reports, on the construction industries and on the effects of the introduction of computers on office work, will be published before the end of the year.

While thanking the right hon. Gentleman for that reply, may I ask whether he is aware that we shall look with interest at the reports which are shortly to be published? May I further ask whether he has considered giving the Manpower Research Unit a particular interest in looking ahead and providing careers advice in the form of a long-term forecast over a wide range of industries?

I would not have thought that that was part of the Unit's job, but I take note of what the hon. Gentleman has said.

Could the right hon. Gentleman explain why he has been sitting on some of these reports for so long? He must be aware as well as I am that at least two of these reports were at a very advanced stage at the beginning of October last year. I was trying to bring them out before the election but I was not able to do so. However, six months have elapsed since then.

It appears to me that there was so much that the right hon. Gentleman was not able to do before the election in October. I would very much like to see an increasing flow of results from the Unit's work, and I expect that this will occur now that the Unit has had time to plan and launch its programmes. But the work of this Unit cannot be judged solely on published results. For instance, it is doing a tremendous amount of work for the Department of Economic Affairs in the development of national economic planning.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether it is intended that at least some of the reports of the Manpower Research Unit will be geared strictly to some of the new areas of the regional planning boards?

Yes, indeed, that is very much in our minds.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons are likely to become redundant in Wolverhampton as a result of the cancellation of TSR2; what progress he has made in finding alternative employment for those displaced; and how many workers are unlikely to find equal alternative employment.

I cannot say how many persons are likely to be redundant; I understand that no redundancy arising from the cancellation of the project has been declared in Wolverhampton as yet; generally any of the workpeople becoming redundant should have little difficulty in obtaining suitable alternative work within daily travelling distance of their homes.

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply, which will go some way towards relieving the anxiety felt in my constituency about this matter. Will my hon. Friend also keep an eye on this question from week to week and see how the situation develops? Will he do everything he can to see that the men who are declared redundant are given alternative employment?

The Ministry will certainly do that. It is worth noting that in April there were 1,032 unemployed in Wolverhampton and 2,465 notified vacancies. The Ministry is actively engaged in getting these people fixed up.

The hon. Gentle-may says that these men will get alternative and comparable work. Will he also say whether they will get the wages which they were earning in the aircraft industry?

The hon. Gentleman does not seem quite to understand. If we do not know who the men are who will be redundant it is difficult to say how much they earn now and how much they will earn in the future.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to deal with the problems of those made redundant by the cancellation of TSR2.

My employment exchanges are ready, as soon as word reaches them of impending redundancies, to register the workers concerned with a view to arranging alternative employment or any necessary retraining.

Is there any evidence of large-scale redundancy coming to the exchanges as a result of this cancellation?

So far, about 1,700 workers have been given notice of discharge, over 1,000 of them in the Preston neighbourhood, some 450 at Weybridge, and the remainder by subsidiary contractors at Hamble, Tipton, Woking, Bognor, Stockton-on-Tees and Cambridge. I have no reason to expect difficulties in these areas.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the Hawker Siddeley factory in Oldham has publicly announced its willingness and ability to absorb great numbers of the displaced TSR2 workers?

Yes, Sir.

Is the Minister aware that Rolls-Royce has declared that it has a very large number of vacancies available for skilled aircraft workers? Will the teams which he is sending to the factories at Preston and Weybridge draw these opportunities to the attention of the workers concerned?

All those opportunities will be drawn to their attention.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the estimated number of redundancies that will arise from the cancellation of TSR2; and what are the prospects of employment in the immediate future for the people concerned.

It is not possible to forecast how many workers the firms concerned will find it necessary to discharge. Generally speaking, the prospects of alternative employment are good.

asked the Minister of Labour what retraining facilities are being offered to graduates declared redundant in the aircraft industry, to enable them to continue fully to employ their skills.

The majority of highly qualified redundant aircraft workers are looking for immediate alternative employment and good progress is being made in resettling them. One has already been accepted for a higher degree course at a university and two have applied for training as teachers. No others have been reported to me as requiring further training but our staff are keeping a close watch on the position.

Can my hon. Friend assure the House that the facilities are available for even substantial numbers of graduates who might require such training? Can he state whether there is any evidence that there has been what is called a "brain drain" of these graduates on the basis that they cannot get alternative employment in this country?

As I said on an earlier occasion, it is a pity that this problem was raised in the way that it was in the beginning by some hon. Members opposite. We have no separate records for graduates, but of 201 people who have some form of professional or executive qualification or experience, we have 19 registered as unemployed at the moment.

asked the Minister of Labour how many of the workers recently made redundant in the aircraft industry have applied for and are receiving retraining.

Six persons who have been made redundant in the aircraft industry since February, 1965 have applied for training under Government vocational training schemes. Two have withdrawn their applications, one has been found unsuitable for the course desired and the other three are still under consideration.

Can my hon. Friend say whether this is because all the workers who have been declared redundant have in fact found for themselves alternative employment without the need for retraining? Can he give any statistical information which might bear that contention out?

Since February 1965, 1,049 persons have been made redundant in the aircraft industry. Of these, only 136 are registered as unemployed. I was asked about the training facilities in the country. By the end of this year we shall have the capacity to train about 12,000 adults per year. There is no evidence at all that the present Government are unable to deal with the problem considerably better than did the previous Administration.

The hon. Member will accept that the figures which he has given do not allow for the additional number who, as we have heard in the last few days, will be coming forward in the next few weeks. I am sure he will agree that there is a great need to take a very sympathetic view of all those cases in the next few weeks. Nobody wishes to magnify the problem, but we want to see that these people get effective employment as soon as possible.

I accept this and welcome very much the right hon. Gentleman's attitude on this matter. It is not the attitude which has been displayed at Question Time in recent weeks by some of his hon. Friends behind him. It is a big problem, but the Government are quite capable of dealing with it.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress he has made in facilitating the re-employment in suitable work of designers, aerodynamicists, riggers and fitters in the aircraft industry who are rendered redundant by the cancellation of the TSR2 construction programme.

So far, one design draughtsman and 39 fitters have sought our help. My employment exchanges have already placed the design draughtsman and six of the fitters in suitable work and the prospects for the other 33 fitters are, generally speaking, good.

In view of the gravity of the situation and the concern of these men and their families, would the Minister undertake to keep a register showing as far as possible how many of these men go overseas and the type of work they go to—whether it is for exports, for instance—and whether they will get for it wages similar to those they were earning before? Will he take into account the housing problem? The Joint Parliamentary Secretary said recently that jobs were available in the north for men from Weybridge, but when people are buying their houses on mortgage it is not easy to transfer 200 or 300 miles away. Will he pay particular attention to this and to the effect of all this on the men's families?

I have answered the Question on the Paper.

Answer the supplementary question then.

As it seems likely that many of these highly skilled workers referred to in this Question may not be able to find re-employment in their own particular sphere of science or engineering, could my right hon. Friend say what steps he is taking to have them retrained for engineering in the shipbuilding industry, where they would be welcomed and are urgently needed?

Every one of these cases will, of course, be dealt with individually. If training of that character is felt to be appropriate we shall offer all the facilities we have.

asked the Minister of Labour what plans he has to utilise those skilled workers available for alternative employment as a result of the cancellation of the TSR2 project.

There is a keen demand for skilled workers. My staff in the employment exchanges are already taking action to find alternative work as quickly as possible for those redundant workers who desire their help.

While thanking the Minister for that answer, may I ask if he will bear in mind those employees made redundant who are over the age of 50, who have special needs, and not only semi-skilled but unskilled workers?

As I have said before, the position of the older workers is the hardest part of the problem and we shall pay it special attention.

Will the Minister keep in touch with these workmen, because the result of redundancy is the breaking up of design and manufacturing teams which for a long time have worked together?

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that this problem of re-employing people from the aircraft industry is indeed a very difficult problem—when men have worked for twenty years or more in an industry based on Government subvention, and with open-ended contracts, where high wages can be paid; and when it is difficult for other industries which are not getting Government subvention to pay similar wages?

I appreciate the problem the hon. Gentleman has mentioned, and we have it in mind.

In view of the number of employees involved in the TSR2 cancellation, will the right hon. Gentleman not respond to the suggestion made by my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Sir A. V. Harvey) of maintaining a register, so that we can see what happens to this large body of workers who are made redundant because of the cancellation of the TSR2 irrespective of the pledges made on the other side?

The reason why I did not reply to the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Sir A. V. Harvey) was that his suggestion is impracticable. We cannot make men register. How can we bring back and compel to register the skilled men who go to Australia or America, or wherever they want to go?

asked the Minister of Labour what encouragement he is giving to the conclusion of long-term wage agreements between management and labour in industry.

There are an increasing number of long-term agreements, but I think it is right that each industry should itself decide whether an agreement of this kind is appropriate for its particular circumstances.

While accepting that the right hon. Gentleman's Department has no responsibility for taking the initiative in these matters, may I ask whether he will not agree that these long-term agreements can be very helpful both to the incomes policy of his right hon. Friend the First Secretary and also for the general fostering of good relations in industry?

If I may use the words "stability and moderation", which we require at present, they are not confined to industries where there are long-term agreements. Such agreements may set a very good example if the increases recommended or given are moderate, but there are many other moderate agreements which are not long-term. Experience of long-term agreements in the context of an incomes policy may in time point to some general conclusions and to their value, but it would be a little premature to generalise on this.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that the recent pay award to Post Office workers will have a bad effect on long-term agreements, and will not this be referred to the Incomes and Prices Commission?

No, Sir. I do not accept that implication at all.

asked the Minister of Labour what official advice is given to employers about the subject-matter of lectures to be given to apprentices as part of their training.

My right hon. Friend has put on sale and circulated to the Engineering and Iron and Steel Training Boards the curriculum used in the Ministry's Government training centres for first year apprentice training. Our officers are, of course, in close touch with the various industrial training boards whose functions are to advise employers on the best methods of training.

Can my hon. Friend say whether that curriculum includes measures to protect apprentices from compulsory brainwashing at the hands of the Economic League?

Neither this nor, as far as I know, any other Government publication makes provision for some of the things which the Economic League does and says.

asked the Minister of Labour what plans he has, in the event of redundancies taking place, to undertake the necessary research to ascertain the social and financial effect these have on those concerned for some months after disturbance takes place.

The effects of redundancies on the individuals concerned vary very much, but we know a great deal generally about the problems which arise. It is with the object of meeting these that the Government have put forward their proposals for redundancy payments, are examining the question of wage-related short-term benefits and that my right hon. Friend is taking steps to increase the effectiveness of the employment service. The subject is one which he will certainly keep under close review.

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that a Cambridge University team did research work at Stevenage several months after the Blue Streak cancellation which revealed that some big problems can be involved for some workers even if they find another job? Is he aware that unless solutions can be found to some of these problems the men will be thoroughly dissatisfied?

Our Department is aware of the report to which my hon. Friend refers. I have every sympathy with the point of view which he expresses. It will be within his recollection that I was intimately concerned with a huge redundancy scheme in the Lancashire textile industry a few years ago. I know full well some of the human problems which are involved. Even when men do get jobs this often involves skilled workers in their fifties having to do labouring jobs.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is great need for research into the industrial effects of redundancy due to the policies of the present Government? Is he aware that there is a factory in West Hartlepools with an employment potential of 300 which is to close mainly as a result of the import surcharge?

I assure the hon. Member that this Government will give greater consideration to these problems than did the last Government. As an earnest of our endeavour here we are introducing the Redundancy Payments Bill for Second Reading this afternoon.

Can the hon. Gentleman say, with particular relation to redundancies caused by the cancellation of the TSR2, whether his Department has any intention to follow up the displaced men to see the effect on productivity and exports of the employment which they eventually take up?

We shall consider that question and we shall make a proper job of meeting the difficulties which will arise.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the need to utilise all available labour in the national interest, if he will take steps to make better use of the labour potential of gypsies and other travellers, particularly in the South-East.

Any gypsies or itinerants who register for work at our local offices are helped to find suitable employment. There are, of course, special difficulties, but we are anxious to do all we can for those who want jobs.

Is my hon. Friend aware that when there is a labour shortage it might be useful to investigate this possibility with a view to trying to find sites where these people might camp so that they can go to the local exchange and register? Is he aware that we have a costly scheme for bringing Italians into this country to work in the brickfields and we have to provide them with hostels and homes when it might be found that some of these people might be able to do a job of that kind?

I think it would be accepted that the unsettled way of life of these people and their lack of industrial experience do not make it easy always to fix them up with jobs in industrial employment. [An HON. MEMBER: "A poor reply."] No, we have not come to the best part yet. The National Assistance Board has specialist officers who deal purely with this type of people, and in the Rochester area, for instance, they are having some success.

Does my hon. Friend agree that within the labour market in the South-East there is a state of emergency? Is he aware that during the war gypsies and other travellers were used by the Ministry of Labour? Cannot we have the same state of emergency preparations to deal with the present problem?

I repeat that there are difficulties in finding steady employment for people of this type. There are specialist officers dealing with the problem and records show that so far they have met with some success. I agree that there is a problem here.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will take steps to undertake research in the development of safety devices in industry.

The Factory Inspectorate carry out with the industries concerned a number of investigations into the development of safety devices. My right hon. Friend is at present reviewing the whole field of research into industrial safety and health, and, if my hon. Friend has any particular projects in mind, my right hon. Friend will be very willing to consider them.

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Will he bear in mind that a great deal of the restrictive attitude in industry towards increasing productivity is very often due to the failure of employers to install modern protective equipment? Will he not agree that, especially where women operate machines, protective devices are essential if the productivity of modern machines is to be speeded up?

I very much agree with my hon. Friend. This is a problem which is constantly under review by the Department. We encourage, sponsor and initiate research in many directions, particularly through the Industrial Research Association.

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that his statement that safety and health in industry are to be taken in conjunction is extremely welcome? Will he not agree that they should be jointly reconsidered as part of a comprehensive occupational health system?

asked the Minister of Labour how many applications he has received for training under the Industrial Training Act to date in Scotland.

None, Sir. It is the responsibility of boards set up under the Industrial Training Act to ensure that sufficient training of an approved standard is provided in their industries in Scotland.

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that in Scotland at present we are experiencing a shortage of certain skills due to the failure, over the past 13 years, to attract modern science-based industries to Scotland? May we take it that, under the Industrial Training Act, men will be able to get training in Scotland, not for the older industries, but for the newer science-based industries, thus creating a pool of labour in Scotland for the newer industries?

I agree very much with what my hon. Friend has in mind. The Central Training Council has set up a Scottish committee to consider matters arising out of the implementation and operation of the Industrial Training Act. That has particular reference to Scotland, of course, but, in addition, boards may appoint committees for particular areas, and my hon. Friend will be pleased to learn that the Wool Board has appointed an area committee to look after the interests of Scotland in particular. The Government accept the need for special attention to Scottish industry in this connection and they are going some way towards achieving what my hon. Friend desires.

asked the Minister of Labour what discussion he is at present having with the trade unions in order to get rid of restrictive practices, which is one of the objectives of the Joint Statement of Intent on Productivity Prices and Incomes of 16th December, 1964.

The representatives of managements and unions who signed the Joint Statement of Intent undertook to "encourage and lead a sustained attack on the obstacles to efficiency, whether on the part of management or of workers".

The Minister gave us a rather cagey answer on this. When he next discusses the question of restrictive practices, will he ask for some promises to be given for their removal in exchange for the fringe benefits offered under the Redundancy Payments Bill which is to be discussed later today?

I do not think that one can ever remove restrictive practices by bargaining of that character. We are attempting to come to terms with some of the main problems—excessive overtime, shift working, etc.—through the National Joint Advisory Council, and the atmosphere is improving. The best way to proceed is not to enter into bargains about these things but to try to get the right atmosphere in which we can tackle the problem.

What discussions is the right hon. Gentleman now having with, for example, the Ministry of Transport and the railway unions in order to get the liner trains started? Is not the way that this particular restrictive practice has dragged on and on really a disgrace?

If the hon. and learned Gentleman wishes to ask about that, he had better put down a Question.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the present establishment of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Factories; and how many unfilled vacancies existed at the most recent convenient date.

The present authorised strength of H.M. Factory Inspectorate is 517 posts. On 1st April, 1965, there were 35 vacancies.

In view of the increasing responsibilities of the Factory Inspectorate, can my right hon. Friend say with what frequency the present establishment enables each factory to receive a thorough routine inspection?

I have already told the House that, as soon as the authorised establishment is complete, I shall again have another searching look to see what further action is required.

asked the Minister of Labour what plans he has for increased training facilities in management.

I hope that management training will be substantially increased as a result of the work of the industrial training boards. Several of the boards have already given some consideration to this subject, as has the Central Training Council. Courses in management education are already available at many universities and technical colleges, and these courses will soon be augmented when the new Business Schools in London and Manchester start up.

Are not conservatism and lack of technical training generally in management, particularly in the smaller firms, holding back the increase in industrial potential which this country so urgently needs at this time?

Nonsense.—[HoN. MEMBERS: "Nonsense."]

Will my right hon. Friend, therefore, see that every encouragement is given to firms to send suitable candidates to take such courses, and will he undertake within his own Department a survey of the whole state of industrial management in this country?

I fear that, at the end of her question, my hon. Friend asks us to undertake a gigantic task. We are, of course, aware of the defects in management. This is why the industrial training boards and the Central Training Council are treating the situation very much as an emergency in order to see how we can improve standards.

Although there are black spots in management, does not the Minister agree that smaller firms and industries could not continue to exist unless the management were good, and will the right hon. Gentleman repudiate the stupid suggestion made by his hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Renée Short)?

Order. It is not the Minister's function to do that.

asked the Minister of Labour how many engineering workers are unemployed; and what is the number of unfilled vacancies at the latest available date.

35,361 workers last employed in the engineering and allied group of industries were registered as wholly unemployed on 8th March 1965. There were 72,122 notified unfilled vacancies in the same group of industries.

Will my hon. Friend give separate figures for skilled and unskilled engineering workers, and, in the light of the figures he has given, will he assure us that there are no fears for those workers employed in the defence and aircraft industries who may become redundant because of further developments?

In the main engineering occupations which are generally accepted as skilled, there were in February, 1965, fewer than 8,000 unemployed and over 25,000 unfilled vacancies. I confirm the implication of my hon. Friend's remark, that, by and large, it should be possible, on the basis of these figures, to find employment for most of the people who will become redundant.

While appreciating that the problem is quite easily solved for skilled and unskilled workers, may I ask whether the hon. Member does not agree that it may be rather more difficult for white-collar workers and, in particular, for design staff in the aircraft works, whose capabilities are so specialised that it may be more difficult for them to find alternative employment?

I hasten to correct the impression—if I gave it—that this exercise is easy. Obviously there will be difficulties for some people involved. The problem of design staff was raised a great deal over the Hawker Siddeley redundancies. In fact, the experience so far has shown that this is not so big a problem as we thought it would be.

asked the Minister of Labour what proposals the Central Training Council has made for the training of non-manual workers in industry.

The Central Training Council has set up a Commercial and Clerical Training Committee to advise on training for office employees. No doubt the Council will put recommendations before me when its Committee has reported.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask whether he will ensure that the same urgency is given to this report as is given to apprentice training for skilled workers?

Yes, indeed.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is satisfied that adequate steps are taken in his local offices to find suitable employment for unemployed workers on their disabled registers; and if he will make a statement.

We are always on the watch for possible improvements, but I believe the service given to the disabled by my local offices in close co-operation with medical authorities and industry, as well as with our own Industrial Rehabilitation Units and Government Training Centres, is something in which we can take a justifiable pride, particularly in this year, the 21st Anniversary of the passing of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944.

Will my right hon. Friend urge the local officers of the employment exchanges to take especial care to try to get suitable jobs for disabled men? Would he be surprised to learn, as I was the other day, that a disabled man in my constituency found himself a job two miles away from Goole and was there told that had they known of his existence he could have been working there for the past two years?

I am not aware of the case cited, but I repeat that on the whole the work of the officers in the local exchanges is remarkable.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take the opportunity of telling the House that through his Department and through those associated with it we are having exhibitions, I gather in every region, of the work done by the disabled? Is he aware that I am delighted to have been invited to open the exhibition on the North East Coast? Will he take the opportunity of saying that he is doing everything he can to forward this very excellent idea?

That tribute comes from a strange quarter, but I thank the hon. Lady very much. I am glad that she made those remarks. I can only repeat that, whatever its other defects may be, the Ministry of Labour has done a remarkable job in this field. I am sure that the right hon. Member for Grantham (Mr. Godber) would agree.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in Swansea alone there are enough disabled unemployed to fill two large Remploy factories and that in Wales there are enough disabled unemployed to fill 24 of the largest Remploy factories? If it proves impossible to place these people in private industry, will he consider an expansion of the special facilities for these disabled unemployed in Wales?

In the absence of all the facts, which I have not before me, I should not like to make any commitment now.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the result of the survey carried out in April, 1964, into the extent to which reportable accidents are in fact notified to Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Factories; and whether he will make a statement.

Altogether, 38 per cent. of those accidents included in the survey which appeared to be reportable had not been reported. This figure is 5 per cent. better than that established in the previous survey but is still far from satisfactory, and efforts to improve the position are being maintained.

In view of this widespread contravention of the basic requirement to report accidents, which throws doubt on the whole validity of the accident statistics, particularly in the construction industry, can the Minister inform us whether the Department intends to make further prosecutions, especially bearing in mind that in no recent year has the number of prosecutions of firms for this failure exceeded 80?

According to my information, there were 120 convictions in 1963 and 419 in 1964 for failure to notify accidents or industrial diseases.

Is the Minister satisfied that sufficient information is being obtained about the type of accidents? Is he aware that my information is that there are very many more industrial accidents than there have been previously? Does he think that it is about time that this matter was looked into again in order that we may establish what is causing the additional accidents and whether the Ministry's Factories Inspectorate are doing their job in following up the reports which they receive about accidents?

I am sure that the Factories Inspectorate are doing an excellent job. This problem of the low proportion of the reporting of accidents has been a problem for some years, but we are effecting an improvement in the whole position. My hon. Friend can be assured that we are watching this very closely and taking all practicable steps to improve the situation.

asked the Minister of Labour how many trade union amalgamations have taken place since the passing of the Trade Union (Amalgamation) Act of last year; and if he is satisfied that proper advantage is being taken of this legislation.

One merger has been registered and another is about to be registered; progress is being made towards a number of other proposed mergers. It is too early yet to judge the full effect of the Act.

Would the hon. Gentleman agree that further amalgamations would go some way towards helping to stop restrictive practices? Would he encourage the Minister to do everything possible to push them forward?

My right hon. Friend is, of course, prepared to render what assistance he can to the Trade Union Congress, but I think it must be appreciated that this House has not a monopoly of tradition and that there is tradition and pride in the trade unions. Because of that, inevitably, I am afraid, progress will be slow. It is not a problem on the trade union side only, for—I do not know whether the hon. Gentleman is aware of it—there are more employers' organisations than there are trade unions. I am sure that it is the intention of responsible leadership both amongst the trade unions and the employers' organisations to reduce the number of organisations and bring them more into line with the second half of the twentieth century.

Surely the hon. Gentleman is not praising traditional pride in restrictive practices? Is not this very slow progress indeed? Would he bear in mind, in relation to restrictive practices of the employers, that this House and Parliament have taken action in two ways? Is it not time that his right hon. Friend took some positive action over restrictive practices?

I was not praising tradition. I was merely stating a fact. I think, sometimes, that this House is not the best place to talk about restrictive practices. Let me remind right hon. and hon. Gentlemen opposite that when we introduced the new system of the House meeting on Wednesday mornings it did not receive much applause from them.

asked the Minister of Labour what wage negotiations are at present taking place, and what wage agreements have been reached, since 1st January, 1965, in the Scottish building industry.

I know of only two agreements reached since 1st January; they relate to electrical contracting and to plumbing. I know of no current negotiations.

Is the hon. Gentleman satisfied that these two agreements are in accord with the principles of the Government's incomes policy, and, if not, are the Government intending to refer them to the wages and prices bureau?

These agreements are above the norm. My right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State has met representatives of the Scottish plumbing industry and has expressed his concern over both the size of the settlement and the effect it may have on the prices charged by the industry. No representations have been made to the electrical contracting industry. The second question the hon. Gentleman asked in his supplementary is a matter for my right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State, but I understand that no decision has yet been made in regard to the plumbing agreement.

In regard to the plumbing agreement particularly, the hon. Gentleman will be aware that it was a similar departure on their part from the general building trades agreement of 1962 which did lead to very considerable trouble in the Scottish building industry, and, therefore, would it not be much better to refer this claim straight away to the new body so that it can give consideration to it before difficulties arise, as they will, and to other matters in respect of the building industry?

This is a matter for the First Secretary of State, who has it under consideration.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the rise in the cost of living, if he is satisfied with the operation of the Catering Wages Act; and if he will make a statement.

The Catering Wages Act was repealed in 1959 and I assume the hon. Member has in mind the Wages Councils Act, 1959, under which four wages councils for the catering industry operate. I do not think the operation of these councils is unsatisfactory.

I apologise for giving the wrong definition, but is the hon. Gentleman aware that large numbers of people employed in the catering industry are still comparatively poorly paid at their basic wages and have to rely to a large extent on tips which they receive? In view of the fact that the cost of living is rising, and of the extra pressure which is being exerted by the current Budget, does the hon. Gentleman not think it time that the Minister should have a further look at these councils to see if something could be done to improve the lot of those who work in the catering industry?

I think that that will be a matter for the councils to consider themselves in the first place.

asked the Minister of Health what percentage of all deaths from cancer is accounted for by lung cancer in men and women.

In 1964, deaths from cancer of the lung and bronchus in England and Wales accounted for 38 per cent. of the deaths of men, and 8 per cent. of the deaths of women, from all forms of cancer.

Will my right hon. Friend consider stepping up the propaganda with regard to the prevention of lung cancer in women, in view of the increase in recent years in the number of deaths in that sector?

In so far as this is attributable to heavy cigarette smoking, my hon. Friend will know that that campaign is being stepped up.

asked the Minister of Health what is his estimate of deaths from lung cancer over the period of the Easter holiday; and how this figure compares with a similar figure for last year.

Figures for Easter, 1964, could be produced only by disproportionate effort and there is no means of making a reliable estimate for that or the corresponding period this year.

But is it not a fact that the figures published by the Registrar General last week show that an average cf over 400 deaths would have occurred during that period had the daily average been the same as the daily average for the year? In view of that, will my right Eon. Friend again seek to step up the efforts which he is making, with the idea of preventing young people from contracting the habit of smoking?

Without actually accepting the figure given by my hon. Friend—1 made the four-day average to be slightly less than he did—I do not dissent from his general view of the matter.

Is it not unusual for a Minister to ask questions of himself through his P.P.S.?

On a point of order. The hon. Member for Willesden, West (Mr. Pavitt) is not my P.P.S.

I doubt whether it is a point of order, but I am sure that the explanation will be accepted.

With your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House, I wish to make a statement about a conference on Cambodia.

Is the Foreign Secretary aware that hon. Members on this side of the House will welcome the Government's acceptance of this Soviet proposal and join him in wishing good success to this conference and anything that may spread from it?

In extending my own congratulations to the Foreign Secretary, may I ask him whether this conference is intended to be at Foreign Minister level?

That has to be decided. What we have got to at present is agreeing with the Soviet Government to send out the invitation. The form of conference will have to be decided in the light of replies that come from the nine Powers invited.

I welcome the right hon. Gentleman's success in this matter, but will he tell the House whether Prince Sihanouk of Cambodia will attend the conference if the American Government accept the invitation?

The conference was originally proposed on 15th March by the Cambodian Government in a message to both Co-Chairmen. That was the basis of the Soviet proposal of 3rd April. The Cambodian Government have not notified me of any subsequent change in their views, although public statements by Prince Sihanouk have expressed some apprehensions about the conference. That is how my information stands now. As to exactly who would attend the conference as the representative of Cambodia, the answer that I have given to my right hon. and learned Friend applies.

May we take it from my right hon. Friend's last answer that he does not expect any objection from the Government of Cambodia to such a conference?

I would earnestly hope not. It was at their wish that this conference was originally proposed. Despite the comments made more recently by Prince Sihanouk, I trust that the Cambodian Government will feel that this will be in their country's interest.

I wish the Foreign Minister all success in this very important task, but has he any private information about the way in which the Peking Government view this proposal?

I am not sure that if I did have private information I could reveal it in an answer to the hon. Member. But we shall know the Peking Government's view from their answer to the message when it goes out.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether any date, or provisional date, has been suggested or arranged for commencing this conference?

No, Sir. I emphasise that the only stage that we have reached so far is that the two Co-Chairmen are agreed to send out the message. But we have, for our part, as a result of what we have been doing, become aware of the favourable way in which certain Governments regard this. As for actually fixing, and who and where and when, that will have to wait on the formal replies to the Co-Chairmen's message. But we are anxious to get this started.

Does not the Minister think that this conference would have a better chance of success if the American Government accepted the advice of Senator Fulbright and many enlightened people in the U.S.A. and called off their bombing?

I should always be very happy if any turn of international affairs made it possible to stop strife of any kind, but while the attacks by North Vietnam on South Vietnam go on I do not see the possibility of advising the other side exactly what military action it should take in reply.