HC Deb 16 May 1966 vol 728 cc895-6
11. Mr. Marten

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has yet started the main talks about relating pay to productivity in the case of the railwaymen's pay problems, which were discussed by the Prime Minister with the unions in mid-March.

Mr. Gunter

The first meeting was held under my chairmanship on 10th May.

Mr. Marten

As this has taken a long time since the original meeting with the Prime Minister—about ten weeks—when is the actual examination of the pay structure going to start as opposed to a consideration of the agenda? Secondly, can the right hon. Gentleman say who will be the chairman of the examination, and whether it will include liner trains in its consideration?

Mr. Gunter

I am sure that the problem of liner trains, unless it is happily settled before, will be part of the discussion. On the first part of the hon. Gentleman's question, perhaps I might point out that the General Election intervened and there was time only for consultation as to representation and to what form the agenda should take. It was agreed at the first meeting that I had with them that an examination of pay and work structure should be put in hand as quickly as possible and that measures to increase efficiency should be related to that. I hope that the next meeting, at which we shall have further documents and further reflections, will take place in about a month's time.

Mr. Manuel

Reverting to the question asked by the hon. Gentleman, can my right hon. Friend tell the House how he relates productivity to the work done by men in some of the main railway grades, for example, a man working in a signal box or as a locomotive driver? In the latter case, is it decided by the number of carriages his engine pulls?

Mr. Gunter

This is part of the pattern of the whole wage structure of the country, not only the railways. It is made difficult by the fact that some men can be assessed for productivity whereas others, who are doing equally responsible work, cannot. This is one of the factors with which we are trying to come to terms.