§ Mr. F. ROBERTSasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that in the Report of the National Provisional Joint Committee on the applica- 559W tion of the Whitley Report to the administrative Departments of the Civil Service, as approved both by the Treasury and the War Cabinet, it was specifically stated in Clause 6 that for the purposes of that Report it was assumed that the Civil Service Arbitration Board would continue in being; whether this was part of a definite undertaking by the Treasury and the Government; and, if so, whether he will reconsider the abolition of the Board with a view to considering any breach of faith towards the staff?
§ Sir R. HORNEThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard, however, to the latter part of the question, I do not agree that the effect of the paragraph referred to was to guarantee the permanent continuance of the Civil Service Arbitration Board or to estop the Government from taking such action in respect of it as appeared to them to be necessary or desirable in the national interest. On the question raised in the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Leith (Captain W. Benn) on the 24th May.