§ 48. Mr. Mellishasked the Prime Minister whether he is prepared to meet a deputation of representatives of administrative and clerical workers in hospital service to discuss problems arising from the recent action of the Government in refusing a recent Whitley Council award of 3 per cent. salary increase.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI have been asked to reply.
My right hon. Friend has informed the Staff Side of the General Council of the Whitley Councils for the Health Services (Great Britain) who asked him to receive a deputation that it would be right if, in the first instance, they would address their request to my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Minister of Health. He added that he would be prepared to reconsider the request to receive a deputation if, after any meetings the Staff Side might have had with the Ministers concerned, there remained further considerations which they would wish to put to him.
I think good will can best be secured by a real understanding by all concerned of the purposes of the measures which the Government have had to take.
§ Mr. MellishSurely, the right hon. Gentleman knows that the Minister of Health has met these people. He discussed with them some little while ago why he had applied the veto; they left him very discontented with the discussion and applied their overtime ban. That was why they asked the Prime Minister to meet them. Surely, the matter is sufficiently serious for the Prime Minister himself to take some action. May we have reassurances on this point?
§ Mr. ButlerI have read the correspondence between my right hon. Friend and those concerned who represent the Whitley Councils. I understand that in their reply they said that the staff side would be very willing to explore all means of settling the unfortunate disputes and will most certainly meet the Ministers, as that is what the Prime Minister wished. The next step, therefore, is for the staff side to meet the Ministers. If the staff side is not satisfied, the Prime Minister's offer stands.