See over
over)
Mr. Laird.
You will already have received my proposed redrafts of the replies to Members of Parliament who have written to the Secretary of State. I agree with Mr. Eaton that the revised version of the Bill meets all
The the major criticisms of the original version. memorandum that we have received from the TUC, however, raises some new points. But as I have suggested in the proposed reply to Mr. Victor Feather, it is, I think, too late to consider holding up the Bill any further. A meeting with officials of the TUC has been arranged for 5 January. If my draft telegram to Hong Kong was approved by your Department we should soon know whether Hong Kong see any objection to the Registrar of Trade Unions (who is at present on leave) taking part in that meeting. I am sure that his
Incidentally, presence would be a considerable help. two of the objections in the TUC memorandum, i.e. (a) objecting to the deleting of the provision permitting the picketing of a man's home, and (b) the corporate status of Hong Kong trade unions, are changes in our own law which form part of our Government's Industrial Relations Bill!
(G. Foggon)
18 December, 1970