§ 39. Mr. Awberyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the recommendations of Part II of the Oaksey Report, relating to the setting up of a Whitley Council and future methods of negotiations, will be implemented; and, as any increases of pay have been deferred until this Council has been constituted, if he will take steps to establish it immediately.
§ 68. Lieut.-Colonel Gurney Braithwaiteasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to make regulations implementing the recommendations set out in Part II of the Oaksey Report, 1949.
§ Mr. EdeThe detailed measures which would be needed to give effect to the recommendations of the Oaksey Committee are being examined in consultation with the various interests concerned, but these discussions have shown that there are differences of opinion about some important aspects of the proposed scheme, and I am not in a position to say when those differences will be resolved.
As regards the second part of the Question, I do not think that consideration of the representations which have recently been made by the Police Federation on the question of pay need of necessity be deferred until a new negotiating system has been established, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I are now considering the possibility of making some interim arrangement to enable the claims of the two federations to be brought to an issue at an early date.
§ Mr. AwberyIs the Minister aware that it is 18 months since Part II of this Report was made public, and the men in the Forces are under the impression that the Whitley Council must be set up before wage negotiations can take place? Will he hurry it on?
§ Mr. EdeI do not think the Central Committee of the Police Federation hold that view. It will not be possible to set up the body that is suggested, because the various participating bodies are not in agreement, but I am hoping to get a not dissimilar body that can be given the power to proceed.
§ Mrs. BraddockIn view of the reply which my right hon. Friend gave me about three weeks ago, about the date of the Police Council meeting, can he say whether the date has been fixed on which the Police Council will meet?
§ Mr. AwberyCan my right hon. Friend say whether wage negotiations can take place before the setting up of the Whitley Council?
§ Mr. EdeThe Police Council is a very old and well-established body. This is a piece of negotiating machinery within a new scheme, which would require legislation.