HC Deb 24 November 1948 vol 458 cc1219-20
8. Mr. Beswick

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he will cause an inquiry to be made into the circumstances which led to the recent cessation of British European Airways services.

Mr. Lindgren

No, Sir.

Mr. Beswick

If our nationalised corporations are to be really efficient is it not essential that joint consultation machinery should work effectively and would not useful lessons for the future be learned if we examined why the machinery did not work in this recent incident? If the trade unions concerned ask for an inquiry will my hon. Friend encourage the holding of an inquiry?

Mr. Lindgren

As to the first part of the supplementary, in this instance at least I am satisfied that the management of the British European Airways Corporation used the machinery correctly, both in spirit and in the letter. As to the latter part of the supplementary, if the application comes from the trade unions as distinct from individual trade unionists then I think it would be considered; but individual trade unionists should make their application through the correct channels of the trade union machine.

Mr. Beswick

Yes, but if my hon. Friend is now saying that the men were wrong, would not an inquiry show where they went wrong so that they would act differently in the future?

Mr. Lingdren

That may be, but surely such instruction is the function of the trade union organisation and not of my Ministry as a Ministry.