HC Deb 04 March 1957 vol 566 cc18-9
45. Mr. Lipton

asked the Prime Minister what communications he has received from medical organisations since his announcement of a Royal Commission on doctors' pay.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)

I have received a letter from the Negotiating Committee of the medical profession, which has been published together with a copy of my reply.

Mr. Lipton

Is the Prime Minister aware that if he has another look at his reply he will see that the English is bad and the meaning obscure? Will he say why he is so curiously unwilling to say whether this proposed interim adjustment may also apply to general practitioners?

The Prime Minister

I am sorry about the English. I am always ready to take advice from a very expert source. I think the best thing I can do is to try to get the Commission started, and I hope, with great confidence, that we shall be able to clear up the other issues as we go along.

Mr. E. Fletcher

Will not the Prime Minister agree that, whatever may be the case for a Royal Commission to examine the overall question of doctor's pay, there is a strong case for some immediate interim adjustment of doctor's remuneration——

Mr. Ellis Smith

And that of engineers, too.

Mr. Fletcher

—and will he acknowledge that and remove all the misunderstanding by making his position clear?

The Prime Minister

Yes, Sir. For that reason, I made reference to it in my letter.

Mr. Blenkinsop

Will not the Prime Minister agree that, as he has made this specific reference in his letter to the B.M.A., it is highly desirable that he should clarify it so that further dispute may be avoided?

The Prime Minister

No, Sir. I think that all this will move along satisfactorily. The first thing to do is to get the Commission appointed, which I am very hopeful will be quite soon. What I have said in answer to supplementary questions has made it quite clear that my right hon. Friend or I are very ready to take up these further questions with the Negotiating Committee.

Mr. Lindgren

In view of the Prime Minister's intervention in this industrial dispute, will he also recommend to industry generally that it should give an interim award on outstanding pay claims?