§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply to the right hon. Member for Barrow-in-Furness (Mr. Booth) on 18 June, Official Report, column 1185 about consultations of the unions on the National Freight Company Ltd., if he will set out the evidence on which he based his statements that the railway unions had been consulted; if he is satisfied that the consultation included the Transport and General Workers Union; if so, what response that union gave to the proposals; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Fowler[pursuant to his reply, 26 June 1981, c. 1184]: As I made clear in my reply on 18 June, it is the 312W National Freight Company that is handling the consultations with the trade unions on the proposal to put together a consortium of managers and employees to purchase the company. I understand there was a meeting of the company's joint trade union advisory council on 18 June, which included representation from the NUR, TSSA, URTU and AUEW. The Transport and General Workers Union was not able to be present at that meeting, which had been called at short notice, because of its biennial conference. But a member of the company's board went to Brighton to outline the plans in person to the deputy general secretary of that union. I understand the proposal is to be the subject of further discussions with all the unions concerned.