§ 11. Air-Commodore Harveyasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation how many of the staff and what categories have been dismissed by British European Airways Corporation since 1st September, 1947.
§ Mr. LindgrenI would refer the hon. and gallant Gentleman to the reply I gave him when he asked a similar question on 12th February last, and when I said that I regard detailed information about staff matters as falling within the field of management.
§ Air-Commodore HarveyI would point out to the Minister that the situation has changed. A great number of these men are being dismissed, and is it not about time that this House was given the details? I have in my hand a letter 362 from a member of the permanent staff of the B.E.A.C. who was given a week's notice without any explanation, and who received a week's pay and no thanks for his service. Is that the way to treat the Corporation?
§ Mr. LindgrenThese men have been wise enough to organise themselves inside a trade union, and that trade union is a far more appropriate body to 00k after their conditions than this House.
§ Mr. ShepherdDoes the Minister feel that these dismissed employees are as certain of the safety of public employment as he is?
§ Mr. LindgrenYes, Sir. I only wish all employees in all industries received the same consideration as those engaged in State enterprise.
§ Mr. Godfrey NicholsonOn a point of Order. May I ask, Mr. Speaker, whether that last remark but one of the Minister's was entirely, in order?
§ Mr. SpeakerI really wondered how far the Question was going, because it only asked what members of the staff and what categories had been dismissed. It was no wider than that.
§ Mr. NicholsonThe reply of the Parliamentary Secretary seemed to me to be rather insulting to the House.
§ Mr. Quintin HoggOn a point of Order. Surely, Mr. Speaker, it is within the province of hon. Members to ask supplementary questions which arise out of the answer, as well as out of the original Question?
§ Mr. SpeakerI advise the hon. Member to read page 336 of the Rules about Questions.
§ Mr. HoggFurther to that point of Order. This is the third time that we have had legislation by reference. May we not say that we are entitled to guidance from the living voice of the Chair, and not from the dead hand of Erskine May poking out at us in the Library?
§ Mr SpeakerThe hon. Member may think Erskine May is a dead hand; I think it is a very sure guide.
§ Air-Commodore HarveyIn view oft the very unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I wish to give notice that I propose to raise the matter on the Adjournment.