HC Deb 29 August 1895 vol 36 cc1127-8
MR. T. P. O'CONNOR (Liverpool, Scotland)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, whether clerks of the second division appointed under the Playfair Scheme are in receipt of 28 days' annual leave, while those appointed under the Order in Council of March, 1890 (Ridley Scheme), are only allowed 14 days during the first five years of service and 21 days thereafter; whether he is aware that on 17th August, 1894, the late Under Secretary of State for the Home Department made a statement with reference to the leave granted to the "Ridley" second division clerks, in which he said that, as regarded the leave of absence, it appeared utterly inadequate, and that, if it was in the power of the Secretary of State to secure any reasonable modifications by the Treasury, it should be done; and, whether he will take steps to carry out this recommendation by granting the petition of the "Ridley" clerks for 21 days during the first five years and 28 days thereafter, and so place them as regards annual leave on a similar footing to their "Playfair" colleagues?

MR. HANBURY

The Order in Council regulating the conditions of employment of second division clerks appointed before 1890, prescribed no limits of annual leave. In consequence, the practice has varied in different departments. In the Treasury the leave of the Playfair clerks has always been the same as that enjoyed by the clerks appointed under the Order in Council of March, 1890—that is, 14 and 21 days. It is possible that the late Under Secretary of State for the Home Department may have expressed the opinion attributed to him in the question. The Order of March, 1890, prescribes an annual leave of 14 days for the first five years of service, and, subsequently, of 21 days, in addition, in either case, to Christmas Day, Good Friday, the Queen's Birthday, and four Bank holidays. It is not intended to make any change in this arrangement. All Ridley clerks appointed since 1890, entered the service with the knowledge that this was a condition of their employment. ["Hear, hear!"]