HC Deb 01 December 1975 vol 901 cc1239-40
11. Mr. Jessel

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will take action to reduce overmanning in nationalised industries for which he is responsible.

Mr. Varley

Manpower levels are a matter for the boards of the corporations concerned in negotiation with the relevant unions.

Mr. Jessel

Does the Secretary of State agree that overmanning undermines employment prospects in the long run, since if industries are uncompetitive they lose markets and jobs? Have we not seen this happen in the Post Office? Will the right hon. Gentleman give an undertaking that he will not interfere in the freedom of action of chairmen of nationalised industries to do what they think best, in the long run, for the people employed in their industries?

Mr. Varley

If the hon. Gentleman has specific questions to raise about overmanning in a particular area of the Post Office, no doubt he will get in touch with the Chairman of the Post Office Corporation. The one thing that I want to avoid is to be involved in the day-to-day matters of the nationalised industries. It is not a matter for me. I think that that is well understood by the House.

Mr. Hoyle

May we consider overmanning in the top management of nationalised industries and, in particular, those whom we appoint as chairmen? I am thinking of people such as Sir Kenneth Keith, who, last week, in the Channel Islands—a tax haven—when addressing the Institute of Directors, took the opportunity to attack the trade unions and the Government's nationalisation policy. Is it not time we got rid of such people? That is where the overmanning is.

Mr. Varley

I think that Sir Kenneth Keith was appointed not by this Government but by the Conservative Party when in office. Questions of manning levels in the nationalised industries are best left to discussion between the boards of those industries and the unions concerned. If I were to go into detailed consideration of manning levels, the life of the top management of nationalised industries and of the trade unions would be intolerable. I do not believe that the House would welcome such a situation.