§ Mr. SAKLATVALAasked the Secretary of State for War what was the reason for dismissing an engineer, Mr. E. Jones, working at the Mechanical Transport service depot at Hounslow, on 6th January last; what was the reason for cancelling this dismissal and reinstating him on 27th January; and what compensation is the Government prepared to pay to Mr. Jones and his coworkers for loss of wages arising out of the original dismissal of Mr. Jones?
§ Captain D. KINGThis mechanic was discharged because of slow work, and the men in the heavy repair shop at Feltham came out on strike. It was subsequently agreed to hold a Committee of Inquiry, which included trade union representatives, as to the justification for his discharge. That Committee reported that it was not in dispute that the management had the right to discharge Mr. Jones, that the management had been dissatisfied with Mr. Jones for some time, but that he had not been specifically warned 1045W that he would be discharged if he did not improve his output. Mr. Jones was accordingly reinstated, and has been paid for the period between his discharge and his reinstatement. I should not be justified in authorising any payment to the other men for the period during which they deliberately absented themselves from work. I am sending to the hon. Member a copy of the Committee's Report.