asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether it is the Government's policy to ensure that when employees of his Department transfer to the new postal and telecommunication authorities all of their present rights as civil servants will be safeguarded.

The Postal and Telecommunications Services Bill will provide that staff transferred to the new State-sponsored bodies shall not receive lesser scales of pay or less favourable conditions, including superannuation provisions, than those to which they were entitled as civil servants immediately before the transfer. Each company will also be statutorily required to set up suitable machinery for negotiation of pay and conditions of its staff in consultation with staff organisations.