HC Deb 13 March 1893 vol 9 cc1835-6
COLONEL HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade what salary or remuneration is to be paid to the Provincial Correspondents of the Labour Department, and if they will be strictly forbidden as public servants to engage henceforward in active political or municipal work of any kind?

MR. MUNDELLA

The remuneration of Local Correspondents of the Labour Department will be by a small annual fee. The arrangements made with these gentlemen are entirely provisional, and the rules governing permanent officials of the State cannot be applied to them.

COLONEL HOWARD VINCENT

Do I understand the right hon. Gentleman to say that these Correspondents are not entitled to any pension?

MR. MUNDELLA

They are paid a small sum for their labour, but in no single case are the payments such as would entitle them to be considered Civil servants.

SIR J. GORST (Cambridge University)

Will they be allowed to take an active part in political organisation?

MR. MUNDELLA

It cannot be expected that men who are paid so little as £20 should refrain from taking part in movements.

SIR J. GORST

My question was, would they be allowed to take part in Party and political organisations?

MR. MUNDELLA

Certainly, Sir.

MR. BARTLEY

May I ask whether it is the fact that all but two of these Correspondents are strong Gladstonian politicians, and that one of them is the right hon. Gentleman's leading supporter in the Brightside Division of Sheffield?

MR. MUNDELLA

I am not aware of any such fact. I happen to know one of them, but he was not appointed for his political opinions. None of them have been appointed on that ground.

MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet)

Are those functionaries removable?

MR. MUNDELLA

Certainly.

MR. FENWICK (Northumberland, Wansbeck)

Is it not the fact that one of the chief Labour Correspondents is a Conservative and takes part in Conservative public meetings?

MR. MUNDELLA

I believe that is the case. At any rate, I am told so. I am told there are representatives of all sides and of all parties and politics.

COLONEL H. VINCENT

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he has taken any personal pains to ascertain that the independence of these gentle-men is such as to command the confidence of the labour world, whose movements they are intended to report to the Board of Trade?

MR. MUNDELLA

If the hon. Gentleman wishes for any further information he must be good enough to put his question on the Paper.