HC Deb 13 June 1955 vol 542 cc274-5
The Minister of Labour and National Service (Sir Walter Monckton)

With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I wish to make a statement.

The House will no doubt expect me to let them know the position in the discussions which are going on in an effort to bring the railway strike to an end. As hon. Members will know, in accordance with the normal conciliation procedure, discussions continued for several days last week at the Ministry of Labour and, on Saturday, I personally saw the representatives of the British Transport Commission and the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen. The purpose of these discussions is to find a basis on which work can be resumed so that direct negotiations can take place between the parties in a strike-free atmosphere. They have centred upon the Society's claim for an increase in the basic rates of locomotive staff and the proposals by the Commission for higher rewards for special skill and responsibility which were made public at the weekend.

I have had a further meeting with both the Commission and the Society this morning, and the talks are continuing later this afternoon, although there are still substantial difficulties in the way of a settlement of the dispute. In these circumstances, I am sure the House will agree that it would be inappropriate for me to make any detailed statement, and that whilst the discussions are at this critical stage it would be undesirable to debate the matter on the Floor of the House.

Mr. Attlee

When the proposals were made to discuss the strike situation today it was hoped that a settlement would have been reached. I think it would be clearly undesirable while matters are still being discussed for anyone in this House to say anything that would make a favourable settlement more difficult. I agree with the right hon. and learned Gentleman that in these circumstances we should not debate the strike situation.

There is, however, the debate on the Regulations. That, I understand, must go forward, but I should hope that there also—although the matter is intimately connected with the strike—the issues of the strike should not be discussed and that such discussion as we may have in this House should be confined strictly to matters concerning the Regulations. Perhaps thereafter we might return to the general debate on the Address. I am sure it is the earnest desire of all of us that this strike situation should be ended as soon as possible.

Sir W. Monckton

May I say that that is our hope also?

Mr. Collick

Can the Minister please explain to the House why these negotiations are being conducted in such a leisurely fashion?

Sir W. Monckton

I am sure the hon. Member will forgive me for saying that for the Minister concerned it has not been a leisurely pastime. I have not only devoted the ordinary working hours of the day but much more than I should have wished of the night to this task, and I want to go back to continue it.

Mr. Attlee

Of course, this House will want to discuss the whole situation after a settlement.

Mr. Collick

I think the House is entitled to some further explanation. Apparently it is suggested that, willy-nilly, we do not have a debate today on the railway situation. If that be the case, surely it should automatically follow that any question of discussing the Regulations should stand deferred until such time as a debate on the railway situation can take place. I should have thought that in the circumstances the Government would have found it possible to accept that situation in their own interests.

Mr. Speaker

That is not a matter for me.