§ 21. Mr. Loughlinasked the Minister of Public Building and Works if he will recognise the Federation of Master 223 Builders as an official body for the purposes of negotiation.
§ Mr. AmeryI had a useful meeting last week with the President and the National Executive of the Federation and I look forward to having further such meetings from time to time.
§ Mr. LoughlinI am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for that reply. I do not want to be mischievous, as I realise the delicacy of the position. However, as the Federation has 21,000, albeit small, builders, as against the 12,000 of the N.F.B.T.E., may I ask the right hon. Gentleman to pursue a policy to ensure recognition of the Federation as quickly as possible?
§ Mr. AmeryI have no immediate plans to vary the arrangements made by my predecessors. I, for my part, would gladly give any help that I can to bring about a merger or closer co-operation, but only if invited to do so by the parties concerned.
§ Mr. LoughlinWill the right hon. Gentleman make a distinction? I am asking him not to bring about a merger but to work towards the recognition of this body as a separate entity. The merger is for it to carry out, not us.
§ Mr. AmeryAs I said, I have no immediate plans to vary the arrangements which were in force under the previous Government, but it is in the interests of the industry, as well as being convenient to the Government, to reduce the large number of sometimes overlapping representative bodies, and amalgamations on terms agreeable to the parties concerned would be welcome. While I shall be glad to give help, I can do so only if invited to do so by all the parties concerned.