§ Mr. Varleyasked the Secretary of State for Employment if the staff of the Commission on Industrial Relations who do not have terms of employment comparable to civil servants are regarded as 178W being on fixed-term contracts for the purposes of the Industrial Relations Act.
§ Mr. Chichester-ClarkStaff of the Commission who are not civil servants are recruited for periods of two years with an option on the part of either party to terminate the agreement at any time subject to a period of three months' notice.
I am advised that these employees are in fact and in law regarded as being on fixed-term contracts for the purposes of the Industrial Relations Act, 1971 by virtue of the express terms of their respective contracts of employment.