1. Mr. McNeilasked the Minister of Labour if he will empower joint absentee committees to have access to the attendance and timekeeping records of the staff as well as the workers and, where necessary, to initiate proceedings against the staff as well as against the workers.
§ The Minister of Labour (Mr. Ernest Bevin)These committees do not initiate proceedings; they report on cases referred to them. Cases affecting staff could not be so referred unless the scope of the committee covered them and this is a matter for joint agreement with which I could not interfere without impairing the usefulness of the machinery.
Mr. McNeilDoes my right hon. Friend not agree that this separation of the staff and workers is causing dissatisfaction?
§ Mr. BevinThere is no difference in treatment when cases are reported. I cannot tackle the problem of putting staff and production workers on one Committee.