§ 38 and 39. Mr. John Pageasked the Minister of Power (1) in view of the uncertainty which exists about the practice by which the National Coal Board deduct contributions to the General Fund of the National Union of Mineworkers from the pay of mineworkers without their written consent, if he will introduce legislation to clarify the position;
(2) in view of the uncertainty which exists about the practice by which the National Coal Board deduct contributions to the political fund of the National Union of Mineworkers from the pay of mineworkers who have contracted out and who have to claim back the sum thus deducted at the end of each year, if he will introduce legislation to amend the position.
§ The Minister of Power (Mr. Richard Wood)The Board has been advised that its procedures do not contravene the Truck Acts. Its Agreement with the National Union of Mineworkers which is largely based on practice in the coal fields before nationalisation requires the written consent of the mineworker before deductions are made. In most coal fields the union rules do not provide for separate political contributions and, where this gives rise to claims far adjustment, the Board thinks it best to leave this to the mineworker and his union.
§ Mr. PageWhilst thanking my right hon. Friend for his Answer concerning the Truck Acts, may I ask whether he does not feel that this principle might lead to a precedent whereby employers in other industries may start to make deductions from their employees' pay packets without their written consent? Is 929 my right hon. Friend aware of the very great surprise of a number of his hon. Friends that a political levy of any sort can be deducted from the pay packet of an employee exactly against his written instructions that it should not be the case?
§ Mr. WoodThe position here is as I told my hon. Friend. Written consent is necessary. The difficulty about dividing it is that the union's rules which apply to most of the coal fields do not provide for a separate political deduction and therefore the Board cannot easily avoid making an overall deduction which includes the political element. That is the difficulty in this case. As my hon. Friend knows, it has existed for many years. I have had no complaints about its operation and I should not feel justified in bringing it to an end.
§ Mr. PageMay I send my right hon. Friend copies of correspondence I have received and take the matter up with him?