§ Mr. McCrindleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the present position in the emergency duty pay dispute involving medical laboratory scientific officers.
§ Dr. VaughanOn 5 February, following the failure of the professional and technical staffs "B" Whitley Council to agree improved rates of payment to medical laboratory scientific officers for undertaking emergency duties, and at the request of the management side, my right hon. Friend authorised authorities to pay rates that had been offered by the management side. Normal working now obtains generally, but the union mainly concerned, ASTMS, is pressing authorities to make unlawful local agreements and in some areas the emergency service is being disrupted.