§ 40. Mr. Hamlingasked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether he will seek powers to refer to the National Board for Prices and Incomes the financial inducements including inducements to purchase stock offered by companies to people under contract to other companies to persuade them to transfer their services.
§ 42 and 43. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (1) whether he will introduce legislation to enable increased emoluments, resulting from the transfer of an employee from one company to another, to be considered by the National Board for Prices and Incomes;
(2) whether he is aware that since the Independent Television Authority have announced the allocation of new commercial television contracts to existing and new commercial television companies, bids are being made for the existing staff of the British Broadcasting Corporation to transfer over to these commercial companies at salaries and other benefits far in excess of their existing rates of pay; and, as this is both inflationary and contrary to the Government's wages, prices and incomes policy, what action he proposes to take.
§ Mr. Frederick LeeI am aware that there is keen competition for the services of staff for the production of television programmes and also of reports of attractive terms being offered by new television companies to staff employed by the B.B.C. and existing companies. My right hon. Friend has drawn the attention of those concerned to Command 3150 and 3235 which give guidance to all involved in the determination of incomes.
122WThere is already power under Section 2(1) of the Prices and Incomes Act, 1966 to refer to the National Board for Prices and Incomes any question relating to wages, salaries or other forms of incomes.