§ Major Procterasked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the legal decision making compulsory the permissive Section of the Local Government Staffs (War Service) Act, under which local authorities could make up the Service pay of their employees; whether he is aware that this decision has caused disquiet in Lancashire, as it will involve a heavy addition to the rates; and whether he will take steps, by amending legislation or otherwise, to restore the permissive nature of the Section?
§ Mr. BevinThe legal decision to which I presume my hon. and gallant Friend refers was briefly to the effect that claims 1951W for the make up of Service pay under this Act may legally be settled by arbitration under the Conditions of Employment and National Arbitration Order; the decision in no way determined what the award of the arbitration tribunal ought to be in particular cases. I do not see my way to introduce legislation for providing that such claims should not be subject to settlement by arbitration or for restricting the discretion of the arbitration tribunal in dealing with such claims.