Contracts of Employment Act 1963
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| Long title | ... |
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| Citation | 1963 ... |
| Territorial extent | England and Wales; Scotland; Northern Ireland |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 1963 |
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Status: Repealed
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The Contracts of Employment Act 1963 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which introduced the requirement to give reasonable notice before dismissal (now Employment Rights Act 1996 section 86) and written particulars of a contract of employment (now ERA 1996 section 1). It is widely recognised as "the first modern employment protection statute".
For the first reading of the Contracts of Employment Bill, Hansard records the following.
‘Contracts of Employment. Bill to require a minimum period of notice to terminate the employment of those who have been employed for a qualifying period, to provide for matters connected with the giving of the notice and to require employers to give written particulars of terms of employment, presented by Mr. John Hare, supported by the Prime Minister, Mr R. A. Butler, Mr. Iain Macleod, Mr. Michael Noble, and the Attorney-General ; read the First time ; to be read a Second time Tomorrow and to be printed. [Bill 48].’
Unfortunately the next reading did not take place the next day, possibly because of the Big Freeze of 1963 which gripped the country. (But note also that "tomorrow", as used in Parliament, is a formal term meaning the measure is to be considered at some unspecified point in the future, and not in fact the next day unless the Government's business managers direct.)
The Second reading came in February. Minister of Labour, John Hare, stated in the government’s introduction for the second reading,
"The Bill is a part of the Government’s plans to provide greater security for workers. This is a time when industry must be quick to adopt improved methods and exploit new techniques if we are to expand our production and maintain our competitive position… fear of change and what it can mean is a powerful incentive to resist change and slow it down by all possible means. But if we reduce that fear and give proper consideration and effective help, we can help, I think, to create an atmosphere in which the need for change is accepted and there is co-operation in creating an efficient and flexible economy.’
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