§ 49. Mr. Patonasked the Minister of Health in connection with the breakdown of negotiations which began in 1956 between the two sides in the appropriate Whitley Council in the matter of a revaluation of the salary scales of regional hospital boards' works organisation staffs, why, having had the staff side's draft terms of reference for arbitration in his possession for more than two months, he has so far failed to give his observations upon them.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI understand that in reply to a Management Side offer on salaries the Staff Side last November made counter proposals on salaries and proposals for a different grading structure for engineering staffs together with suggested terms of reference for arbitration if agreement was not possible. Until these proposals had been examined in6W detail it would have been premature to consider arbitration. Agreement on the new grading structure has just been reached between the two sides and terms of reference have been agreed for settling by arbitration the difference between them on salaries.