§ 31. Mr. Skinnardasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in view of the agreement in principle, arrived at in September, 1946, for the assimilation of naval pensioner clerks into the General Clerical Class, the terms under which this class of Admiralty servants are to be so assimilated have now been fixed.
§ The Civil Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. Walter Edwards)I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for the Sutton Division of Plymouth (Mrs. Middleton) on 21st April last. The proposal to which I then referred has been made to the Staff side of the Admiralty Administrative Whitley Council: but, as indicated on that occasion, further time will be required to negotiate the detailed arrangements for the application of the scheme.
§ Mr. SkinnardBut are such negotiations now approaching their close, because these people have waited a very long time?
§ Mr. EdwardsAs I said on the last occasion, they are much nearer their close than they were, and we are getting on with them as rapidly as possible.