§ 52. Mr. Pymasked the Minister of Labour what representations he has received from the building industry regarding the desirability of holding the meetings of the Phelps Brown Committee in public; and what reply he has sent.
§ Mr. HattersleyThe Government have received no such representations. As my 1156 right hon. Friend said in reply to the hon. Member for Londonderry (Mr. Chichester-Clark) on 19th April, the Committee has decided to meet in private.
§ Mr. PymHave the Government had any influence on the decision of the Committee? Does not the Government think that it would be much better if the deliberations of the Committee were held in public?
§ Mr. HattersleyIt would be wrong for the Government to express an opinion either way, but it is appropriate to say that the Pearson Committee of Inquiry into shipbuilding and parts of the Devlin Inquiry into the docks were made in private in much the same way, so that there are good precedents for what this Committee has decided to do.