HC Deb 15 February 1971 vol 811 cc302-3W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether, as a means of assisting in resolving the industrial dispute in the Post Office and to make more money available to pay salaries to the lower paid workers, he will give a general direction to the Post Office Board to make cuts in the numbers of their higher paid administrative staff and in their salaries and to publish details giving the numbers of staff in administrative situations with salaries of £1,000 per annum or more four years ago and for each year to date and the total cost of salaries in each calendar year.

Mr. Chataway

No.

Mr. Golding

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether he will exercise his power under Section 11(2) of the Post Office Act, 1969, and draw to the attention of the Post Office the failure of the postal services following the breakdown of industrial relations and given general directions for the improvement of industrial relations in order to restore the service in the national interest.

Mr. Chataway

No.

Sir G. Nabarro

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications what steps he has taken to assess the cost to Post Office funds of the postal strike; how the Corporation are to finance this; and whether he will make a statement on his conversations with the Chairman and his Board colleagues on special financial arrangements now required to keep the Post Office solvent.

Mr. Chataway

These are matters for the Post Office in the first instance. I have had no conversations with any member of the Post Office about special financial arrangements.