§ MR. HORNIMAN (Chelsea)To ask the President of the Local Government Board what, if any, is the minimum wage of indoor and outdoor officers under the Poor Law; will he say whether there are outdoor officers in London working alternately seventy-three and a half hours and sixty-three hours per week who receive a salary of only 25s. per week, which wage is subject to a deduction under the Poor Law Act; after how many years can a man claim a pension, and how long must he serve before attaining the full amount; and will he personally inquire into this matter.
(Answered by Mr. John Burns.) There is no prescribed minimum wage for Poor Law officers. There are cases in which the salary of an officer who does not reside in the workhouse is as low as 25s. a week, but I cannot say what are the hours of service in such cases. An officer must serve ton years to be qualified for a pension under the Poor Law Officers' Superannuation Act, 1896, and in ordinary circumstances he must have had forty years' service in order to obtain the full amount of pension allowed by the Act. If my hon. friend brings to my notice any particular case of the kind to which he refers, and which appears to him to need investigation, I shall be happy to consider it.