§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Postmaster-General when he will issue the pro- 794 mised memorandum relating to the terms of employment of the telephone staff, seeing that without such memorandum it will be impossible properly to discuss the Bill?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe memorandum has now been issued.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked what arrangements have been made in regard to the telephone transfer for the continued payment of pensions to those former members of the staff who have left the service of the company through age limit and who are already in receipt of pensions?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe pensions of persons who have retired from the service of the National Telephone Company are a charge upon the Pension Fund, which is not administered by the company but by trustees. That fund is about to be wound up; and it will be for the trustees to safeguard the interests of existing; pension holders. No responsibility in the matter rests upon me.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, in spite of his assurance that all the telephone staff would be taken over, the Secretary of the Post Office has written to the head officials that they will not be so taken over; and how he proposes to carry on the telephone business if he dismisses all the heads of departments, some of whom have been with the company thirty years?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI would refer the hon. Member to my answer to a. question on this subject addressed to me by the hon. Member for the Pudsey Division of Yorkshire on Friday last.