§ Mr. Bishopasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what qualifications he considers persons should have to make them suitable for appointment by him to public boards controlling and administering the coal, gas, electricity and transport industries, respectively.
§ Mr. John DaviesIn the case of the coal, gas, and electricity industries the qualifications required of board members, as expressed in the relevant statutes, are324W that they should have had experience of, or shown capacity in, one or other of certain specific areas. These are listed as industrial, commercial or financial matters, applied science, administration, local Government, agricultural matters, the organisation of workers, or experience of the industrial processes covered by the particular Board. In the transport industries for which I am responsible—the nationalised Air Corporations—there are no specific qualifications laid down by Statute, but I would apply, as appropriate, the same sort of criteria as for the other industries. The personal qualities of the individual to be appointed to a Board are, of course, in all cases a vital consideration.