§ MR. HUDSON (Newcastle-on-Tyne)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he can say what steps are being taken, if any, by the Central London and other underground electric railway companies for the establishment of conciliation boards with their workmen.
§ MR. CHURCHILLAs I have, informed my hon. friend the Member for Derby, the Board of Trade are now in correspondence with the Central London Company on this subject. As regards other underground electric lines, conciliation boards have already been established for the Great Northern and City Railway, and an election of the men's representatives is about to take place on the Metropolitan Railway. I do not know whether any steps are being taken for the formation of conciliation boards on the Metropolitan District Railway and the group of tube railways controlled by the Underground Electric Railways Company, but, as my hon. friend will be aware, the circumstances of these lines differ from those of most other lines.
§ MR. HUDSONasked if more than a year had not elapsed since the arrangement was made between the Board of Trade and the companies, did not these 539 men apply to have a board formed more than six months ago, and would steps be taken to press the matter to a conclusion.
§ MR. CHURCHILLThe Board of Trade are in constant communication with an increasing and substantial measure of success with the companies in order to bring these boards into existence, and if the Central London Company has lagged behind it has not been our fault.