CAB128-94_A1b — Page 48

PARLIAMENTARY

FAIRS

CONFIDENTIAL

Page 48

1. The Cabinet were informed of the business to be taken in the House of Commons in the following week.

Water BIN

NFIDENT

Referenc CC(89) 18

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT said that he was grateful to the Lord Privy Seal and to the Captain of the Gentlemen at Arms for their skilful handling of the Water Bill, which had completed its passage through the House of Lords earlier that week. Only two amendments had been carried against the Government: at Commons' consideration Lords' amendments on the following Monday and Tuesday, e would be inviting the House to overturn an Opposition amendment which sought, in effect, to set a deadline of for the completion of the extremely expensive ogramme of work which would be required to meet the European Community drinking' water directive; and negotiations were continuing on whether an acceptable compromise could be reached on the amendment sponsored by Lord Radnor which sought to require water undertakers, in general, secure the approval of landowners before laying pipes on the land. It was essential that the Bill should proceed to Royal Assent in the following week, as planned, in order to main the timetable for flotation.

The Cabinet

Took note.

ONFIDE

HOME AFFAIRS

Abolition of the Dock Labour Scheme

Previous Reference

CC(89) 22.2

2. THE SECRETARY OF STANZ EMPLOYMENT said that the Dock Work Bill had completed it report Stage in the House of Lords unamended and was on course to achieve both its Third Reading in the Lords and Royal Assent on the following Monday. The regulations to be made under the Bill would be laid immediately thereafter. The result of the ballot of the Transport and General Workers Union's dockworker members was likely to be announced on Friday 7 July, 4 days after the Dock Labour Scheme was due to be abolished. It was sensible to plan on the basis that strike action would take place, but if so it would be against the background that all port employers would in future e fee to recruit non-registered labour and that redundancy payments for those registered dock workers who took strike action would be put at risk.

Continuing, THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EMPLOYMENT that the position on industrial action in the economy generally could become more difficult over the following 2-3 weeks: the transport unions were threatening a further stoppage on the following Wednesday on British Rail, London Underground, and London Buses; local author members of the National and Local Government Officers

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