§ MR. FLYNNOn behalf of the hon. Member for North Kilkenny (Mr. P. MCDERMOTT), I beg to ask the 342 Secretary to the Treasury whether it has lately been decided that a large number of clerks in the Customs Department who are compulsorily detained after official hours at the beginning of each month shall have their pay for this work reduced from 2s. to 1s. 6d. per hour, being a lower rate than they receive during the official day; whether, as these payments are included in the computation of such clerks' superannuation allowances, these allowances will also be reduced in consequence; and whether the Treasury will direct that the rights of those clerks who have been receiving, or are now entitled to receive, a higher rate of pay than 1s. 6d. per hour shall be conserved?
§ MR. HANBURYOn the creation of the Second Division, a general rule provided that overtime employment should be paid at the rate of 1s. 6d per hour. Owing to a misunderstanding, Second Division clerks at the Customs Department have been paid at higher rates. The Commissioners' attention having been called to the irregularity, clerks hereafter employed will be paid at the established rate. No clerk has a vested right to be employed on overtime or to be paid when so employed, at a particular rate. Overtime payment when regular and of substantial amount is included in the calculation of pension on the average receipts of the three years preceding retirement. I cannot undertake that Second Division clerks in the Customs, who may be employed on overtime in future, shall be paid at a higher rate than that sanctioned for the Division throughout the Service.