§ 48. Mr. Lewisasked the Prime Minister what requests he has received from the staff associations and trade unions in 565 the hospital services to receive a deputation from these organisations; what was the nature of his reply; and when he expects to receive this deputation.
§ The Prime MinisterA request to receive a deputation from the Staff Side of the General Council of the Whitley Councils for the Health Services reached me by post yesterday. I am considering my reply.
§ Mr. LewisIn view of the need for Government economy and the need to save time and labour, can the Prime Minister save the time of his staff and expense by announcing now that he will meet the deputation?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. I have received a long letter from the Secretary to which I thought it would be courteous for me to make a reply. I think it would be very discourteous for me to publish the reply before it reaches them. I hope by arrangement with the Secretary the normal procedure will be followed and that their letter and my reply will be published simultaneously.
§ Mr. RobensMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman to give more than favourable consideration to this request, as it raises some rather larger issues than the particular one? Is he not aware that there is some grave doubt in the minds of many eminent trade unionists about the position of the Government vis-à-vis Whitley Councils and that I feel if he were to meet the deputation he might clear up a great deal of misunderstanding?
§ The Prime MinisterI would take all that into account.