§ 3.19 p.m.
§ LORD MATHERSMy Lords, I beg to ask Her Majesty's Government a Question of which I have given Private Notice: whether they can make any statement with regard to the position of the bus dispute.
§ THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD MANCROFT)My Lords, I regret that I have nothing to add to the comprehensive statement made yesterday in another place by my right honourable friend the Minister of Labour and National Service.
§ LORD MATHERSMy Lords, why was action not taken on the proposal made by Mr. Cousins? That proposal seemed to some of us to jeopardise his trade union position, and if he could go so far in the public interest why was it not followed up?
§ LORD MANCROFTMy Lords, my right honourable friend made it perfectly clear in his statement that he would not take any action which would have as its object a variation of an industrial court award. He added [OFFICIAL REPORT, Commons, Vol 587, col. 380]:
I have to-day told the union that I regret that I cannot accede to its request, as to do so would be to depart from the principle of adherence to arbitration awards. …
§ LORD MATHERSMy Lords, we have the recent spectacle of an award being absolutely turned down by the Government—I refer to the award which was given to the personnel in the National Health Service. Where is the justice? Where is the consistency between the statement that has just been made and the action taken previously?
§ LORD MANCROFTMy Lords, my right honourable friend explained that point in some detail yesterday in another place, and I have nothing to add to his statement.