§ 83. Mr. W. GRAHAMasked the Minister of Labour whether any results have been achieved by the negotiations of his Department with the Scottish Banks with a view to the recognition of the Scottish Bankers' Association as the organisation of the employés; whether, when a strike was threatened recently, the employés postponed it, at the request of the Ministry of Labour, pending a conference with the Scottish banks; whether the banks now state that the proposed conference was conditional on all the banks agreeing to take part, although that was not stated by the banks to the employés at the time; and whether the Ministry of Labour is prepared to take further steps to establish a Whitley Council for this profession, and to recommend that course to the Scottish banks at the present time?
§ Sir M. BARLOWAt the time of the recent dispute between the Scottish banks and their employés the Ministry of Labour intervened with the suggestion that the banks should meet the Scottish Bankers' Association at a conference to discuss the future adjustment of wages and conditions. It appears that the banks understood that conference to be conditional upon all the Scottish banks agreeing to take part therein, and, as certain of the banks found themselves unable to agree to meet the Scottish Bankers' Association for that purpose, it has not been found possible to arrange the conference. In regard to the last part of my hon. Friend's question, the situation is that before a Whitley Council can be formed there must be agreement on the matter between the partier co cerned. In the absence of such agreement 233 it is difficult for us to take further steps.
§ Mr. GRAHAMWill the hon. Gentleman agree, in the circumstances, to institute an inquiry into the condition of bank employés in Scotland, with a view to arriving at an agreement on the question?
§ Sir M. BARLOWThe whole matter is still being inquired into.