§ 70. Mr. ANDERSONasked the Minister of National Service whether, in view of the speech made by him at a meeting of employers and representatives of various associations of manufacturers in which he stated that a legacy of pledges to trade unions has been inherited which could not 1628 be observed, he will state to what this legacy of pledges refers and why the pledges cannot be kept?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of NATIONAL SERVICE (Mr. Beck)I think the hon. Member must be referring to a statement made by the Minister of National Service at a meeting of representative employers arranged by my right bon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on the 16th January. The pledges referred to were the arrangements governing the administration of the original Schedule of Protected Occupations, which the right hon. Member for Barnard Castle explained could not be permanent, and the necessity for the revision of which has been fully explained to. the House on previous occasions.