asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, if he is satisfied that the intended dismissals of some 2,500 employees on the staff of the British European Airways Corporation is being conducted with meticulous fairness; can he state the method being employed for determining who shall be dismissed and who not; and is the reduction in staff being extended also to the top level executives, a similar if not greater proportion of whom will also become redundant with the reduction in size of the Corporation's activities.

This is a matter of management for the Corporation. I am satisfied that such dismissals as become necessary are being determined under the normal negotiating machinery of the National Joint Council.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the system which the Corporation has announced is that of merit and that there seems to be no system of assessing merit? In a case of an overseas headquarters, namely, in Switzerland, where traffic has fallen, the staff still remains at a high level, and does not he think that his Department should take an interest in this matter?

Yes, Sir, the Department does take an interest, but, primarily, the responsibility is between the employer and the employee and the negotiating machinery is used for that purpose. The general conditions applied are those of length of service, ability and the general satisfactory service of the person concerned.