§ 86. Mr. Tilneyasked the Minister of Labour why the Liverpool bus pay increase was only referred to the National Board for Prices and Incomes on 1st March, in view of the fact that the application for implementation of the agreement was sent to his Department before Christmas, 1967 and the national agreement was referred on 26th January.
§ Mr. HattersleyThere was correspondence and discussion between my Department and the Liverpool Corporation after the settlement was reported on 22nd December. In the course of these exchanges the Corporation were told that the settlement could not be accepted as consistent with incomes policy and were asked to reconsider it. In reply the Corporation submitted that there was special justification for the settlement. The Corporation were then asked whether if the settlement were referred to the N.B.P.I. they would agree to a voluntary standstill. Similar exchanges took place between my Department and the Corporations of Belfast and Glasgow concerning their settlements. It was after final replies had been received from the three Corporations that the Government decided to make the reference to the N.B.P.I.