HC Deb 18 December 1970 vol 808 cc470-1W
Earl of Dalkeith

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons in the Edinburgh, Leith and Portobello employment exchange districts, respectively, were registered as unemployed on the latest date for which figures are available; what was the figure for the equivalent period in 1969; and what percentage change this represents over the equivalent period in 1964.

Mr. Dudley Smith

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether the terms of reference for the Industrial Court to inquire into the industrial dispute and the salaries of workers in the electricity supply industry will include the question of the 51 per cent. increase granted in the past two-and-a-half years to the Chairman of the Electricity Supply Industry;

(2) whether he will arrange, when drawing up the terms of reference for the Industrial Court to inquire into the wages dispute affecting the electricity supply industry, for them to take into account the fact that the Chairman of the Electricity Council's salary has been increased on three occasions since April, 1969 until January, 1971, by some 51 per cent.

Mr. Dudley Smith

No. The terms of reference of the independent Court of Inquiry will require the Court to take into account the interest of the public and of the national economy. It is for the Court itself to decide how it will do this.