§ LORD BINGHAM (Surrey, Chertsey)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the dissatisfaction existing among the staff of the National Telephone Company as to the uncertainty of their position under the recent agreement with the company as regards their transfer to the Post Office service in the event of the purchase of the company's system in 1911; whether he has received any representations on the subject; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.
LORD STANLEYI am aware that some anxiety exists among the staff of the National Telephone Company, and I have received two memorials from different classes of the staff pointing out the difficulties of their position in view of the fact that the agreement for the purchase of the company's system imposes no definite obligation on the Government to 457 offer them employment in the Post Office service after 1911, and asking that deputations may be received to make further representations on the subject. These memorials are receiving my careful consideration, and I hope to be able shortly to receive the proposed deputations. In the meantime I may, perhaps, say, without in any way pledging my successor, that, in view of the extent and nature of the business of the company to be taken over, I think it only reasonable to suppose that it may probably be found necessary to transfer to the Post Office service all efficient members of the executive staff previously required by the company for its proper performance. Those persons who are appointed to the established staff of the Post Office will at once benefit by the conditions as to pension which apply to that staff, but I cannot hold out any hope that operators and other classes who are not entitled to any pension under the conditions of their present employment in the company's service can be allowed to have the period of that service taken into account in reckoning their Post Office pensions. In the case of those members of the staff who contribute to the present pension fund, it is expressly stipulated in the agreement that any obligation arising out of their service previous to the transfer falls to be met by the company. It will be open to the Committee which will, I hope, soon be appointed to consider the agreement to hear representations of the company's staff, if they think it desirable to do so; but I ought to add that the agreement with the company has been signed, and cannot now be modified in any respect.
§ MR. KEIR HARDIE (Merthyr Tydvil)asked if the noble Lord would agree to the appointment of a special labour representative on the Committee so as to make sure that the interests of the employees were properly safeguarded?
LORD STANLEYNo, Sir. The Committee has been nominated in the usual way. I had representations made to me as to placing certain representatives on it and I at once acceded to the request. I think the Committee will fairly represent all sections in the House.