HC Deb 04 March 1976 vol 906 cc723-4W
Mr. Rooker

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements he has made within Government organisations to negotiate with the recently formed Nationalised Industries' Chairmen's Group; by what statutory authority such a group has been constituted; and what will be the total cost of this to public funds.

Mr. Joel Barnett

Together with the other Ministers concerned I shall continue to meet representatives of the chairmen of the nationalised industries from time to time. The decision to form a group was taken by the chairmen themselves and they did not require and statutory authority to do so. The costs of running it are a matter for them and there is no contribution to these costs from the Government.