§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report the letter he sent to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West giving the amounts of salaries and expenses as paid to Mr. Tom Jackson of the Post Office Union; and whether he can give an assurance that at all times these payments were within the Govern- 664W ment's incomes policy generally and personally so far as affecting the income of the recipient is concerned.
§ Mr. Robert Sheldon:The letter is reproduced below.
The payments Mr. Jackson has received have been within the Government's incomes policy.
"Treasury Chambers, Parliament Street,
SW1P 3AG
2nd September 1977
Arthur Lewis, Esq., M.P.
House of Commons,
London, SW1A 0AA.
Dear Arthur
You asked Denis Healey a Parliamentary question on 21st July about the public appointments held by Tom Jackson of the Union of Post Office Workers. I am glad to say that I am now in a position to reply on the Chancellors behalf.
I am aware of only one such appointment falling within the responsibility of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Mr. Jackson is a Government director of BP. He has waived his BP fees of £5,000 per annum, but receives £1,000 per annum as a member of the BP Audit Committee. Since he has been a member of the BP Board he has drawn no expenses from the company.
I hope this provides you with the information you require.
Yours ever,
Robert Sheldon"