HC Deb 16 February 1959 vol 600 cc28-30
55. Mr. Wilkins

asked the Minister of Health whether he has yet agreed to meet a joint deputation of management and staff side representatives of the Society of Radiographers to discuss new agreements on salaries and gradings.

Mr. Walker-Smith

I met a deputation from the joint management and staff side of the appropriate Whitley Council on 4th February.

Mr. Wilkins

Can the Minister give the House any information as to the result of the conference he had with the Society of Radiographers and the Whitley Council?

Mr. Walker-Smith

Yes. Our exchanges were very amiable and, I hope, constructive. I was able to give an undertaking that the management side of the Whitley Council would be in a position to make proposals on salaries not later than 6th March.

Mr. Wilkins

Can the Minister tell us whether, when he considers the remuneration of these radiographers, he will backdate the award 19 months, as in the case of certain civil servants last week?

Mr. Walker-Smith

Of course, this will be a matter to be considered in the Whitley Council negotiations in the context of this particular application, and of any other comparable matters that are genuinely relevants to it.

Mr. Robens

In view of the right hon. and learned Gentleman's previous performance, what guarantee has the Whitley Council that the proposal it puts forward will be accepted by him?

Mr. Walker-Smith

This gives me the opportunity to say, Mr. Speaker—an opportunity I did not have at the time—that when the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Blyth (Mr. Robens) referred to this matter in the general debate on industrial relations a few months ago he packed more misconceptions and errors into a few paragraphs than I have ever heard before.

Mr. Robens

But they did not give the money.

Dr. Summerskill

In view of the fact that in the constituency of probably every hon. Member on both sides there is a shortage of radiographers—and, therefore, this question is put for all of them—will the Minister agree that there is no misconception about this: that the gross shortage of radiographers is such that he should be in a position to come to the House and tell it what he has done, and what he proposes to do to accelerate their recruitment?

Mr. Walker-Smith

I have already explained, Mr. Speaker, that in the course of these amiable and constructive exchanges, I was able to give an undertaking that the management side would be able to produce proposals not later than 6th March.