§ MR. LANE-FOX (Yorkshire, W.R., Barkston Ash)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the remuneration awarded, under the Treasury regulations for the payment of clerks of local pension committees and sub-committees has proved inadequate in view of the work involved in the first year of their tenure of office; whether county councils have any statutory right to levy a rate to supplement such remuneration; and, if not, whether the Government are taking any steps to meet the difficulty.
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGENo, Sir. I am not aware that the Treasury scale of remuneration to clerks of pension committees and sub-committees has proved inadequate, and, as the amount payable under that scale Appends in the main on the volume of the work dealt with, I think the scale will be sufficiently elastic to meet the necessities of the period of exceptional pressure consequent upon the introduction of the scheme. The present arrangements, are, however, necessarily experimental in character, and they will be subject to revision when the accounts for the first quarter have been received and considered.
§ MR. LANE-FOXCan the local authority legally increase the rate of remuneration out of the rates?
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEI should like notice of that Question.