HC Deb 03 February 1953 vol 510 c1635
14. Mr. Morley

asked the Minister of Labour when he will introduce an amendment to Statutory Order, No. 1376 to make its use available to professional organisations.

Mr. Watkinson

I regret that I am not at present in a position to add to the answer given to the hon. Member on 28th October last year.

Mr. Morley

Can the Minister say when he will be able to make this arrangement? Is he aware that there was more or less a conditional promise given a year ago that an Amendment of this Order would be brought in to enable it to be used by professional organisations? Why this long delay?

Mr. Watkinson

I am well aware of the point which the hon. Gentleman raises, and so is my right hon. and learned Friend. I am afraid that I must say to him that the difficulties which have arisen are still there and are still under examination, and I do not think that it is for me to go further than that, otherwise I think that we might tend to make the difficulty worse rather than better.

Mr. Robens

Will the Minister give an undertaking that there will be no question of altering this Order until he has consulted both the T.U.C. and the employers' associations?

Mr. Watkinson

I think that the right hon. Gentleman knows that this would come in front of the N.J.A.C. in the normal course.