HC Deb 21 November 1974 vol 881 cc492-4W
Mr. Stanley

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the recent pay settlement for Rolls-Royce engineering workers was in breach of the social contract.

Mr. Tebbit

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if the recent pay agreement between Rolls-Royce and its 6,000 employees in Scotland conforms with the terms of the social contract.

Mr. Foot

We regard the settlement as being outside the TUC guidelines because it provides substantial increases in pay only seven months after the last principal increase.

Mr. Tebbit

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if the recent pay agreement between the British Sugar Corporation and its manual and clerical workers, effective from 23rd September 1974, conforms with the terms of the social contract;

(2) if the recent pay agreement concerning staff in the gas industry, effective from 1st July 1974 and 1st January 1975, conforms with the terms of the social contract;

(3) if the recent pay agreement concerning manual employees of British Nuclear Fuels conforms with the terms of the social contract;

(4) if the recent pay agreement concerning manual employees of United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, effective from 1st October 1974, conforms with the terms of the social contract;

(5) if the recent pay agreement concerning Civil Service professional and technical officers, effective from 1st January 1974, conforms with the terms of the social contract;

(6) if the recent pay agreement concerning the staff on new town authorities, effective from 1st July 1974, conforms with the terms of the social contract;

(7) if the recent pay agreements concerning local authority staffs, effective from 1st July 1974, conform with the terms of the social contract;

(8) if the recent pay agreement concerning BBC staff conforms with the terms of the social contract.

Mr. Foot

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him of 7th November—[Vol. 880, c. 210.] As I said then, it is neither necessary nor appropriate that I should attempt to adjudicate on every major wage settlement.

Mr. Tebbit

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if the recent pay agreement concerning London Transport Executive garage maintennace staff, effective from 31st July 1974 and 14th August 1974, conform with the terms of the social contract;

(2) if the recent pay agreements concerning LTE railway workshops staff, effective from 29th July 1974 and 12th August 1974, conform with the terms of the social contract;

(3) if the recent pay agreement concerning LTE underground workers, effective from 12th August 1974, conforms with the terms of the social contract;

(4) if the recent pay agreement concerning LTE canteen workers, effective from 11th August 1974, conforms with the terms of the social contract;

(5) if the recent pay agreement concerning LTE busmen, effective from 10th August 1974, conforms with the terms of the social contract;

(6) if the recent pay agreement concerning Post Office manipulative grades, effective from 26th July 1974, conforms with the terms of the social contract;

(7) if the recent pay agreement concerning Post Office executive and supervisory grades, effective from 26th July 1974, and that concerning Post Office engineers conform with the terms of the social contract;

(8) if the recent pay agreement concerning National Health Service nurses conforms with the terms of the social contract.

Mr. Foot

As I informed the House on 18th July—[Vol. 877, c. 698.]—arrangements were made for special pay reviews for certain groups, including LTE and Post Office workers and nurses, as part of the transition from statutory controls to the present voluntary arrangements.

Mr. Tebbit

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish any advice which he has given to individual employers facing wage demands in excess of those stipulated under the social contract.

Mr. Booth

My right hon. Friend had urged the importance in every case of attempting to reach a settlement within the guidelines.

Mr. Tebbit

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what criteria he uses in deciding whether particular pay settlements in the public sector conform with the terms of the social contract.

Mr. Booth

The TUC guidelines, which I have commended to all negotiators in both the public and private sectors.