§ 2. Mr. Swinglerasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will bring forward legislation to make it a condition of membership of the nationalised boards to which he makes appointments that other directorships and appointments be relinquished.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (Mr. Airey Neave)No, Sir. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal to the hon. Member for Enfield, East (Mr. Ernest Davies) on 17th December last.
§ Mr. SwinglerIs the Parliamentary Secretary aware that this is a highly unsatisfactory reply? Does he not know that the Government have agreed to refer the position of part-time directors of the Bank of England to a committee, because they recognise that there is a matter of principle involved here? Would he not, therefore, do the same in regard to those directors of nationalised concerns dealing with transport who have private interests that might conflict with their public duties?
§ Mr. NeaveI am well aware of what is being done about the position of the part-time directors of the Bank of England, but that is not strictly this Question. If the hon. Gentleman will study my right hon. Friend's reply, as I am sure he will, he will find that this practice has been followed concerning outside directorships since 1953.
§ Mr. D. JonesIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the six part-time members of the British Transport Commission hold thirty-two other directorships between them, and that many of the firms of which they are directors make equipment of which the B.T.C. is a substantial purchaser? What does he propose to do about it?