Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am ar 25 Gorffennaf 1922.
The Parliamentary Secretary tells us that those people who are nervous about their future wish to safeguard their future, and I quite admit that that is the case. That is why I am supporting their case here. The idea of a private owner selling something outside the Act altogether, and of the people employed by him wishing compensation in such a case is a very different matter. The words of my Amendment limit the effect to, "Any other Act or Order confirmed by or having the force of an Act of Parliament." That certainly cannot cover the ordinary private sale. If it be a sale of property established originally under some Act of Parliament, it will not be a case of some small concern owned by some private individual—John Smith, or somebody—who sells it to some other undertaking. It will be one of those municipal undertakings, established by the House of Commons. It is in such an undertaking that the officers, employés and servants—who do not get the advantage very often of the higher wages in the ordinary commercial procedure, but who have accepted a lower wage because they thought perhaps that they had security and also were serving the community—are asking for their future to be safeguarded. I must say I think the Parliamentary Secretary is not sympathetic to a perfectly just demand, and I am very sorry indeed the Amendment has not been accepted. If I get any support, I am quite prepared to divide the House.