HC Deb 11 March 1895 vol 31 cc778-9
MR. J. KEIR HARDIE

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether an order has recently been issued to the staff of the Royal Engineer Inspection Division at Woolwich, informing them that the whole of their time is at the disposal of the Government, and prohibiting them from taking any position as a member of a public body or otherwise; whether one member of the staff was dismissed for refusing to accept these conditions; and whether it is intended to enforce the terms of the notice?

MR. WOODALL

Public servants are allowed to accept positions on public bodies provided they do not interfere with the performance of their official duties; but it is a fundamental principle that the state has a primary claim upon the whole of the time of its employés; and, in cases where unusual pressure occurs or where the special work of an individual has fallen in arrear, overtime is liable to be called for. An order reminding the officials in the Engineer section of the Inspection Department of their obligations was recently issued, and it is intended to enforce it. A writer who declined to abide by the order had his services dispensed with after receiving the usual notice.

MR. KEIR HARDIE

Am I to understand the answer to mean that no person employed by this Department may accept office in any public body meeting in the evening?

MR. WOODALL

No; the hon. Member is not to understand that. On the contrary, the order, which I believe is equally applicable to all Departments of the State, gives specific permission to public servants to serve on Parish Councils or any public body of which the meetings are held outside the time of their official duties, provided, of course, that, if their services are required by the State, that will be the first claim.

DR. TANNER

May I ask whether, in view of the fact that all the men of the Royal Engineer Inspection Department have been tradesmen before entering that branch of the Service, it is advisable that these men should be allowed to take up jobs and to enter into competition with the local tradesmen at a time of great destitution and want?

Mr. WOODALL

thought the question did not arise out of the answers he had given, and asked for notice.