§ 48. Mr. Ronald Atkinsasked the Minister of Transport what were the percentage reductions of weekly-paid 17 railwaymen and salaried railway staff, respectively, during the five-year period 1962 to 1967.
§ Mr. CarmichaelThe reduction in railway staff from the end of 1962 to the end of 1967 was 36.7 per cent. for weekly-paid staff and 20.3 per cent. for salaried staff.
§ Mr. AtkinsDo not those figures give credence to the view commonly held by railwaymen that British Rail management is more anxious to reduce the number of the operating wage-earning staff than its administration?
§ Mr. CarmichaelThis is a tendency in all industry because of the increased complexity of industry and the materials it deals with. I think that what British Rail is really after is a generally smaller but much better paid railway staff.
§ Mr. SpriggsIs my hon. Friend aware that the railway administration has tended to become top-heavy? What does he intend to do about it?
§ Mr. CarmichaelI cannot agree that the railways are becoming top-heavy in management. The problems of the railways are now much greater than they used to be, particularly the technical and management problems. Therefore, a strengthened managerial and salaried staff is required to operate the railways in the mid-twentieth century.