§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, pursuant to the Prime Minister's and the Lord President of the Council's answers to Questions on Wednesday 1st February, he will make a statement on the firms that are being or have been informed of the Government's displeasure over their recent pay settlements, indicating the names of those firms, the nature of their activities to which the Government take exception, the measures which Ministers have applied or intend to apply against them and the statutory authority in each case on which the Ministers are basing their actions or their statements that actions may ensue.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Melton (Mr. Latham) on Monday 6th February.—[Vol. 943, c. 420–21.] The four firms named in the reply will not be invited to tender for Government contracts, and any applications for financial assistance they may make would be examined in the light of their breach of the guidelines. As we have repeatedly made clear, public money should not be used to finance excessive pay settlements. Statutory authority is not required for the withholding of contracts,506W which is normally at the discretion of the customer.