§ Mr. Houghtonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the long delay in arranging for a hearing by an arbitration tribunal of a wages dispute between the local trade unions and the official employers in Gibraltar; and whether, in view of the lack of confidence in arbitration machinery now showing itself amongst the workpeople by this delay, he will expedite and announce a date for the hearing.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThe arbitration tribunal will open its hearing on 9th December.
The negotiations between the official employers in Gibraltar and the local unions extended over a long period, but once the decision to resort to arbitration was taken the arrangements for establishing the tribunal, which involved agreement between both sides on its terms of remit and composition, were given high priority.