HC Deb 14 November 1912 vol 43 cc2075-8
47. Mr. NEWMAN

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that it has been found necessary to propose an alteration of the dates on which the various stages of the Government of Ireland Bill shall be concluded, he will state whether such rearrangement will lead to a curtailment of the Christmas Recess?

The PRIME MINISTER

The proposals of the Government with regard to the Christmas Recess will be announced in due course.

Mr. NEWMAN

Will it be in the course of the next few days?

52. Earl WINTERTON

asked the Prime Minister if he is yet in a position to state whether it is his intention to move a new Standing Order to ensure that hon. Members who fail to attend to their Parliamentary duties shall be fined the whole or a portion of their Parliamentary salaries; and if he will consider the possibility of so amending the Standing Orders that hon. Members voting in a Division shall be compelled to be present in the House itself during some part of the Debate?

Mr. KELLAWAY

Before the right hon. Gentleman answers the question, may I ask if he is aware that the Noble Lord was absent from three hundred Divisions?

Earl WINTERTON

Before the right hon. Gentleman replies, may I ask if he is aware that the sole cause of my absence was illness, and will the hon. Gentleman now apologise for his unkindly reference?

The PRIME MINISTER

I have no doubt what the Noble Lord has said is perfectly correct. I think, as I said the other day, that we should gain a little more experience of the new system before considering the adoption of these or similar proposals. I rather doubt the practicability of the second of the Noble Lord's suggestions.

Earl WINTERTON

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he is aware that there are plenty of precedents for the procedure mentioned in the first part of the question in the procedure of foreign parliaments, and as to the second part, is he aware that on Clause 13 of the Government of Ireland Bill, while 200 Members voted in the Lobby in the Debate only forty-three Members were present in the House to hear an important speech by himself?

The PRIME MINISTER

It has often been my misfortune to be present here when very few hon. Members were listening, and also to take part in a Division in which I did not hear any part of the Debate, and I believe that is the case with every hon. Member on both sides.

83. Mr. FRED HALL

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if, with a view to the interests of other taxpayers, it will be possible to arrange for the salary to Members to be divided into two amounts, one a fixed amount to represent the value of services rendered and the other an amount free from Income Tax and to be supported by vouchers to represent reasonable travelling expenses?

Mr. MASTERMAN

As indicated in the replies given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to previous questions on this subject, I see no reason for modifying the practice which has been adopted for administrative convenience.

Mr. FRED HALL

Could the right hon. Gentleman say why?

Mr. MASTERMAN

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the replies of my right hon. Friend.

Colonel WILLIAMS

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if there is any statutory authority for such division?

Mr. MASTERMAN

I think the subject has been very fully dealt with by my right hon. Friend. I have nothing to add.

75. Mr. HOGGE

asked the right hon. Member for the Epping Division, as Chair man of the Kitchen Committee, whether the expert called in by the Kitchen Committee is connected with a railway company; and whether he will consider the desirability of calling in some catering expert whose experience is not confined to this branch of catering?

Colonel LOCKWOOD

The Sub-Committee appointed for the purpose consider that the expert they called in is well suited by his knowledge and training to assist them. His experience is not confined to railway catering.

Mr. HOGGE

Is the Gentleman referred to connected with a railway company?

Colonel LOCKWOOD

Yes; he is connected with a railway company, but I can no more call him a railway expert than I could call the hon. Member himself a cheesemonger because he eats cheese.

Mr. HOGGE

Is it the case that the light hon. Gentleman is a director of the company from which this expert was appointed?

Colonel LOCKWOOD

Yes, that is the case.

76. Mr. HOGGE

asked the right hon. Member for the Epping Division, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, what wages the waiters in the House receive; how many hours they are on duty; and what arrangements obtain for overtime?

Colonel LOCKWOOD

The fifteen dining-room waiters employed regularly during the Session are paid as follows: Two at 22s. per week, twelve at 20s. per week, one at 18s. per week, with food and refreshments. There are other waiters in more responsible positions, who are paid higher wages. Their hours of employ- ment are from 9 a.m. to 9.30 on Monday and Wednesday, or from 9.30 a.m. to the rising of the House on Tuesday and Thursday. Half on late duty alternate nights. On Friday their duty is from 9 a.m. to the rising of the House. They are allowed two hours off duty in the afternoons. On Saturday they finish at I o'clock and are free until Monday 9 o'clock. They are also paid full wages during the Easter and Whitsun Recesses. If the House sits until 1.30 they are paid a half-day's wage, or a whole day's wage at 3.30. If occasion arises that other employment is offered them, as on Saturday last (Lord Mayor's Show), they are allowed to clean the plate on Friday and finish then. The evening waiters (approximately fifty) are engaged at 6 o'clock for dinner, and are paid 3s. 6d., or 6s. if engaged at 12 noon.

Mr. HOGGE

Is it the case that when the House rises before 1.30 or before 3.30 that these waiters get no overtime?

Colonel LOCKWOOD

They are not paid overtime till 1.30 or 3.30.

Mr. MORRELL

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of raising the wages of the waiters with a view to doing away with the system of tipping?

Colonel LOCKWOOD

The feeling, I think, is very much against abolition.

Mr. POINTER

Are not the class of waiters who receive 6s. from noon employed almost continuously, and therefore are in the nature of almost continuously employed persons, having much more to do than those who are on the staff, and can the right hon. Gentleman give them some consideration?

Colonel LOCKWOOD

That is rather an intricate question for me to follow: some of the waiters, good men, are employed frequently, or every night during the Session.

Mr. WARDLE

Has anything further been done with regard to pensions for waiters as promised some time ago?