§ 23. Mr. Goodhartasked the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with members of the executive committee of ASLEF.
§ Mr. WhitelawI met the executive of ASLEF on 11th December and made a full statement to the House on that day.
§ Mr. GoodhartIn any future contact with ASLEF, will my right hon. Friend make it absolutely plain that tens of thousands of frustrated rail passengers will be enraged if the Railways Board ever again pays engine drivers who refuse to drive trains?
§ Mr. WhitelawI do not wish to add anything to the present situation except to say that the British Railways Board has made a proposal that there should be a meeting of the railways national tribunal next week. This is to take place. I hope that it will yield results and that there will be an end to the present extremely unfortunate and, as I believe, totally unnecessary action.
§ Mr. John GrantDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that he ought to use his good offices to try to bring that meeting forward a little? Does he realise that the travelling public will find it difficult to understand why there should be such a long delay? If the reason is that people have prior commitments, ought they not to revise their priorities?
§ Mr. WhitelawI do not know what the arrangements were between the British Railways Board and the unions concerned. I sincerely hope that the industrial action of all sorts will be called off. That surely would be a right and proper action and one which would suit rail passengers.