HC Deb 24 July 1952 vol 504 cc47-9W
62. Mr. Awbery

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the serious results which will follow from not implementing the proposals of joint wages councils, what action he is taking to see that the decisions jointly agreed upon are carried out.

Sir W. Monckton

As I stated in the House on 21st July, the proposals recently referred back to wages councils were, in a number of cases, not agreed proposals. The next step in all these cases is for the wages council concerned. There is no further action that I can properly take at present.

64. Mr. Awbery

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that his action in referring back to the wages council the wages awards has undermined the confidence of the workpeople in the wage-fixing machinery which has been set up for settling industrial disputes; and what action he will now take to restore this confidence.

Sir W. Monckton

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. Wages councils do not deal with industrial disputes. I hope that nothing which I have done in the performance of my statutory duty will impair confidence in the wage negotiating machinery of the country.

65. Mr. Turner-Samuels

asked the Minister of Labour what written representations were sent to the wages councils, whose agreed proposals he recently sent back to them for reconsideration, by persons affected thereby objecting to the proposals which the councils had submitted to him; who made them and what was their purport.

Sir W. Monckton

Wages councils are independent statutory authorities and, in accordance with Section 10 (3) of the Wages Councils Act, 1945, representations are made to the councils and not to me. The nature of the representations made is accordingly a matter for the wages councils.

66. Mr. Turner-Samuels

asked the Minister of Labour whether the wages councils' proposals recently referred back by him for reconsideration were submitted to him without being amended as a result of representations provided for under Section 10 of the Wages Councils Act, 1945, from persons affected by the proposals.

Sir W. Monckton

In two cases the proposals were amended by the councils concerned in the light of representations received. In neither case did the amendment concern rates of wages.