HC Deb 04 July 1956 vol 555 cc1494-5

11.58 p.m.

The Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation (Mr. Harold Watkinson)

I beg to move, That the Draft British Transport Commission (Compensation to Employees) (Amendment) Regulations, 1956, a copy of which was laid before this House on 26th June, be approved. These Regulations are in fulfilment of a pledge I gave on Second Reading of the Transport (Disposal of Road Haulage Property) Bill to correct some anomalies which, I think, the hon. Member for Enfield, East (Mr. Ernest Davies) knows full well about. They have been fully agreed with the seven trade unions concerned and are fully retrospective. They cover not only those who are still in the employment of the Commission or the Parcels Company, but those who might have left this employment but were in this employment at the proper time. So full protection is given. This implements not only my pledge but has the full agreement of the unions.

11.59 p.m.

Mr. Ernest Davies (Enfield, East)

Since the Minister has given the assurance that these Regulations have been fully agreed by the trade unions, which I also understand, there is obviously little that need be said concerning them. I take it that they mean now that all employees, whether employees of the British Transport Commission as such, or whether employed in the companies they control, directly or indirectly, will be treated on a parity—that there will be complete equality in the way in which those employees are treated? Looking at these Regulations, one cannot help realising that, while they are necessary to prevent anomalies and to bring everything into line, they would not be necessary but for the continuation of disposals, upon which the Government have decided.

It is interesting to note in these Regulations that there is a provision relating to those who had been continuously employed as an officer or servant since the 31st December, 1951. Those words are added, and they quite clearly were not included in the previous Regulations because it could not have been foreseen, and certainly was not accepted by the Government, that they could be employees of the Commission in the road haulage undertaking who would be continuously employed some eight years after the Government policy was announced.

In other words, at that time it was not considered likely that there would be people who would be employed by the Commission after 31st December, 1951, and then still be in the employ eight years after. That can easily happen now, in view of the fact that the parcels company, we hope, is not to be disposed of for some time, and we naturally hope not at all, and quite clearly some employees might be with the parcels company for considerably longer than eight years from 31st December, 1951. They might have joined it after that date, and then there would be a subsequent eight years.

I only mention that to draw attention to the fact that these Regulations have had to take into account the earlier Government policy relating to disposal. Question put and agreed to. Resolved, That the Draft British Transport Commission (Compensation to Employees) (Amendment) Regulations, 1956, a copy of which was laid before this House on 26th June, be approved.