§ 41. Mr. George Cunninghamasked the Lord President of the Council upon what grounds the recent letter sent by the Parliamentary Draftsman to the Department of the Clerk of the House about House of Commons procedure on motions relating to the salaries and pensions of Members of Parliament was marked confidential; and if he will draw to the attention of civil servants in the Parliamentary Draftsman's Department rules relating to security classification.
§ Mr. FootMy hon. Friend is referring to a letter which he has not seen and I have not seen. There is therefore no basis for discussing the way it was marked. The answer to the second part of his Question is "No".
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Lord President of the Council why he describes hon. Members as not employed since they are so classified for national insurance and unemployment benefits; and since the Government's policy is to support free collective bargaining, why the Government will not negotiate hours,
DEBATES ON REPORTS OF SELECT COMMITTEES 1970–71 Committee Report Date Occasion Public Accounts … … … 1st, 2nd and 3rd (1969–70) 10th November 1970 Supply (5th day) House of Commons (Services) … 1st (1970–71) … 23rd November 1970 Government motion Estimates … … … … 5th (1968–69) … 7th December 1970 Supply (7th day) Scottish Affairs … … … 1st (1969–70) … 3rd February 1971 Government motion Standing Orders (Revision) … … 1970–71 … … 8th March 1971 … Government motion House of Commons (Services) … 5th (1970–71) (no debate) 7th April 1971 … Government motion Procedure … … … … 2nd (1969–70) 7th April 1971 … Government motion Science and Technology … … 2nd (1968–69) … 27th May 1971 … Government motion Privileges … … … … 1st (1967–68) 16th July 1971 … Government motion House of Commons (Services) … 6th (1970–71) (no debate) 30th July 1971 … Government motion
478W
1971–72 Public Accounts … … … 1st, 2nd and 3rd (1970–71) 2nd December 1971 Supply (4th day) Expenditure … … … … 1st (1970–71) and 1st (1971–72) 9th February 1972 Government motion House of Commons (Services) … 4th (1971–72) … 9th June 1972 continued 13th June 1972 Government motion Procedure … … … … 4th (1971–72) … 28th June 1972 … Government motion Expenditure … … … … 2ndand 5th Special (1971–72) 7th August 1972 … Government motion (postponed from Supply day) wages and working conditions of hon. Members with their trade union.
§ Mr. FootUnder the Social Security Act 1973 Members of Parliament, along with other office holders with emoluments chargeable to income tax under Schedule E, become liable to pay Class I "employed earner" contributions from 6th April 1975. It does not follow that hon. Members are employees for the purposes of collective bargaining between employer and employed. As I have already explained to my hon. Friend—[Vol. 935, c.257]—the conditions of hon. Members are in any event a matter for this House and not one for collective bargaining between the Government and a trade union.