HC Deb 23 July 1946 vol 425 cc2003-4
Mr. Key

I beg to move, in page 39, line 30, to leave out from "Minister," to the end of line 31.

This removes from the Clause the appointment of a person to act on behalf of the Minister, and leaves the Minister to deal with the matter himself.

Mr. J. S. C. Reid

This is not a point of primary importance, but it is one on which I hope the Minister will think again. He is now taking power to deal himself with disputes arising between members of the public receiving services and the executive councils, and the health authorities. He is to decide himself—no doubt, through one of his officers; and he has not told us anything about the method by which he is going to reach that decision. Now, I quite agree that it is a waste of time to have a public hearing, either if the matter is of such trumpery importance that the Minister can say that it is frivolous or unimportant, or if the parties do not want one. But, after all, many of these disputes are of great importance to the parties, and they are not easy. I have reason to know that when one can have a hearing, even of an informal character, before a person appointed to hear the parties, the parties go away very much better satisfied; because they feel that somebody has listened to them, and has made a report on the subject, and that justice has been done.

The one thing the people of this country do not like is having a case decided against them without their having had a fair chance of putting their points across the table to someone who is bound to listen to them. That is a very different thing from sending a letter to be read by somebody in an office. That does not give the same satisfaction to a person, as the hearing of his case across the table. I hope the Minister will assure us that he will make administrative arrangements, so that, whenever there is an issue of any importance at all, and whenever a party desires a hearing, the Minister will appoint somebody to hear the evidence and to hear the representations of the parties, so that they may know that their points have been dealt with properly, and not merely placed on a file in an office. I hope he will give that assurance.

Mr. Bevan

The right hon. and learned Gentleman is entitled to ask for an assurance here, but it is already on record. The Amendment I am moving is in fulfilment of a promise I made in Committee. I gave the assurance he asked for, and it is on record in HANSARD.

Amendment agreed to.