§ 43. Mr. Hunterasked the Secretary to the Treasury what progress has been made in negotiations regarding the claim of non-industrial civil servants employed at London Airport to be paid at the London rate of salaries.
§ The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. J. Enoch Powell)The discussions to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member on 12th March are still in progress; I hope that a settlement covering this claim amongst others will be reached shortly.
§ Mr. HunterWhilst thanking the hon. Gentleman for that reply, may I ask whether he will use his best endeavours to speed up negotiations, since this point has been outstanding for a very long period and is a real grievance among non-industrial civil servants?
§ Mr. BeswickWill the hon. Gentleman also realise that, whilst complications on hours and arguments about provincial differentiation may drag on for 799 a very considerable time, the case of the London Airport employees is a quite insupportable anomaly? Will he make a decision on that without awaiting the outcome of negotiations as a whole?
§ Mr. PowellI am not so pessimistic about the prospect of a comprehensive agreement.