§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the officials of the House of Commons are paid extra for the additional labours required of them by long sittings of the House, such as that of the 21st-22nd ultimo; and, if not, whether he will see that in future the Fair Wages Resolution is carried into effect in regard to the officials of the House, and that they shall not be required to work overtime without extra payment?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUEROfficials of the House are not entitled to any extra payment on the occasion of prolonged sittings; but the Serjeant-at Arms has been in the habit of giving the attendants of the House a 410 small gratuity on the occasion of sittings of extraordinary length, such as that of the 21st of May last. With the exception of a few occasional assistants, the servants of the House are permanently employed at a yearly salary, and, except a few who are of the nature of caretakers, they are only required to attend on those days and at those hours when the House or its Committees are sitting. It is obvious that the Fair Wages Resolution has no bearing whatever upon their work or pay.