§ CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether it has been brought to his notice that about 100 men recently discharged from the Small Arms Factory at Enfield have been informed that they cannot receive their gratuity money for at least three weeks after discharge; and whether, in view of his promise to a deputation of these men on 18th May that they should be allowed to remain at work till the gratuity was settled, he will see that these men are paid this gratuity without delay.
§ *THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr BROMLEY-DAVENPORT,) Cheshire, MacclesfieldUnder the existing system, some considerable delay necessarily occurs before the payment of the gratuity, because the 1480 gratuity has to be calculated to the date of leaving work, and cannot, therefore, be paid on that date. I gave no such promise to the deputation as is indicated in the second paragraph of the Question. What I did promise was, that the existing system should be most carefully considered with a view to reducing the delay to the shortest possible period. It is by no means an easy matter, but I hope to be able to secure some improvement upon the existing system.