§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Secretary to the Treasury (1) if he is aware that the London and Bristol preventive men of His Majesty's Customs when having done duty at Fishguard in the examination of passengers' luggage from New York get time off for any excess over eight hours a day; will he say why this allowance is not given to the Cardiff preventive men doing similar duty at Fishguard; and, if the reason be that the Cardiff men cannot be spared, will he say why they are not paid overtime for the excess over eight hours, in accordance with paragraph 100 of the Establishment Code; and (2) if he will state under what authority in the Establishment Code did the Accountant and Controller-General rule that travelling from Cardiff to Fishguard by Customs officials to meet the New York boat was not Crown time; and will he consider increasing the present allowance of 1s. 3d. subsistence for an absence of from twelve to nineteen hours in view of its inadequacy?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe practice with regard to time off necessarily depends on the requirements at particular ports and on the circumstances of particular cases. Under paragraph 100 of the Establishment Code overtime is payable for attendance in excess of forty-eight hours in the six weekdays, but under paragraph 95a no overtime payment is made in 1883 respect of time spent in travelling for which subsistence allowances are given. I may add that the question of these allowances has been brought by the staff before the Committee which is now inquiring into the Waterguard Service, and is under consideration.