§ Colonel IVOR PHILIPPSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether the hon. Baronet is aware that ex-Royal Engineers serving as civil assistants in the Ordnance Survey 1025 have been regularly undergoing deductions from their gross pay on account of civil pensions, but that this arrangement has now been changed as from 1st May, a new order having been issued on the subject by the Director-General; whether he is aware that this new arrangement seriously injures the men concerned by reducing the basis of their future claim to civil pensions; and whether he will issue an order so as to prevent the men's case being thus prejudiced while the subject is under the consideration of Lord Ilkeston's Committee, and direct that the new scheme shall not be put into operation pending the Report of that committee?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYThe new Order was issued with a view of correcting a system which was detrimental to the men. The President will consider the advisability of withdrawing the Order pending the Report of Lord Ilkeston's Committee.
§ Colonel IVOR PHILIPPSasked the Parliamentary Secretary whether he is aware that the proposals to depute civil assistants of the Ordnance Survey now employed in the Survey Office to perform out-of-door work in connection with land valuation will, unless suitable allowances are provided for them to meet out-of-pocket expenses, cause hardship to the men employed; whether he is aware that the allowances at present proposed to be granted will in no way meet the expenses to which these men must necessarily be put in carrying out the work; and whether he will ask Lord Ilkeston's Committee to inquire into the conditions of such employment and to report what special arrangements may be necessary so that the land valuation work should not throw an unnecessary burden on a deserving body of men?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYAs the men referred to are not being asked to do anything which is not implied in the conditions of their service on the Survey, I see no reason for referring the matter to Lord Ilkeston's Committee.
§ Colonel PHILIPPSSurely there would be no objection to referring the question of this new charge to the Ilkeston Committee?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYMy hon. and gallant Friend knows that this is something which has arisen subsequently. If he desires it, I will consult with him about this matter, and see if it is possible.
§ Colonel PHILIPPSThese men are doing a new duty altogether, and I hope he will call the attention of the Committee to this matter.
§ Colonel IVOR PHILIPPSasked whether, in the case of ex-Royal Engineers employed as civil assistants in the Ordnance Survey, on the issues of the scales of pay in December, 1909, the Director-General decided to deduct the whole of the military pension from their civil pay until fifty years of age, and after fifty years to deduct only half the military pension; whether in January, 1910, the Director-General cancelled this latter order and issued an order depriving these men of the half military pension after fifty years of age; and, if so, whether lie will take immediate steps to put these men back in the same position as they were at the time of the issue of the scales of pay in 1909, and issue such orders as will prevent in the future the Director-General altering the conditions of service of these men without reference to the head of the department?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYI understand this matter has been explained clearly to Lord Ilkeston's Committee, which will doubtless make some recommendation in its Report.