§ Sir Nigel Fisherasked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough (Mr. Bottomley), as representing the House of Commons Commission, what steps have been taken consequent upon the House of Commons (Administration) Act 1978 in respect of a grading review covering the staff of all the Departments of the House of Commons.
§ Mr. Arthur BottomleyThe report of the Committee of Members, which it was my privilege to chair, proposed—paragraph 4.4—that the new House of Commons Commission should be the employers of all the staff in the five Departments of the House. It was recognised, however, that this arrangement could give rise to problems in connection with the grading structure and the Committee therefore recommended—paragraph 5.17—that a full grading review of the whole staff should be undertaken. This has now been put in hand by the Commission and will take place over the next nine months. It will be carried out by a firm of management consultants—INBUCON Limited—and this method as well as the scope of the inquiry have been agreed by all those involved.