§ 22. Mr. CHARLES DUNCANasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the watchers of Customs and Excise are paid far less wages than those paid to dock labourers in the Port of London, and that the watchers' rate for overtime is only 6d. per hour; and whether, seeing that the Report of the Departmental Committee of inquiry into the conditions of work and wages of the Customs and Excise watchers has been received with dissatisfaction, it is contemplated by the Treasury to grant the watchers a living 471 wage, which should recognise extended and approved service of more than ten years' duration, besides an overtime rate of pay commensurate with the difficulties of attendance on duty in the Customs and Excise service in the Port of London?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI am not aware how far the precise conditions of employment of dock labourers are comparable with Customs watchers. I would invite the hon. Member's attention to Subsection (3) of Section 16 of the Report of the recent Waterguard Committee, and remind him that, in accordance with the recommendations of that Committee, watchers have been granted two good conduct allowances of 1s. a week each after five and ten years' service respectively, and a time allowance for night duty under which six hours' duty counts as seven. The question of the rate of overtime is engaging attention.
§ 31. Mr. TOUCHEasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the fact that certain Customs officials, holding the rank of assistant and second officer, performed duties superior to that of assistants, and that for the performance of such superior duties they were promised an annual allowance of £10; and will he say why the allowance was not paid from 1st April, 1909, to 1st December, 1912, and why they were paid in the aggregate only the same amounts as if they had served as ordinary assistants?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI must refer the hon. Member to my answer to a question put to me by the hon. Member for Barrow on the 20th May last on this subject.
§ 32 Mr. TOUCHEasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether in the Customs branch of the Customs and Excise service it was formerly usual, when the state of public business permitted, to grant a weekly half-holiday, either on Saturday or some other day of the week, to members of the outdoor staff; why was this privilege discontinued; and, in view of the trend of recent legislation, will he cause the practice of granting a weekly half-holiday to be introduced or reintroduced by express authority, subject, if necessary, to the same conditions?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIt has been the general practice to grant a fortnightly half-holiday on alternate Saturdays to members of the outdoor staff when the 472 state of business permits. At particular stations, where there is ordinarily no business on Saturday afternoon, the officers might often get a half-holiday every week, but there never has been any general practice of granting a weekly half-holiday. I am not aware that there has been any change in this matter. The question of a weekly half-holiday in relation to the Civil Service is under consideration by the Treasury.
§ 34. Mr. TOUCHEasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether representations have been made by the officers of Customs complaining of the state of office accommodation in bonded vaults and warehouses; whether he is aware that in many cases the provisions in regard to space, light, lavatory, etc., are far below the requirements of the Factory and Workshops Act; and, in view of the fact that the present system of approving offices has resulted in dissatisfaction, will he consider whether it would be advisable to transfer the responsibility of fixing and maintaining the standard of office accommodation in the Customs and Excise to His Majesty's Office of Works?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I am aware that in some of the older bonded vaults and warehouses the office accommodation provided for the revenue officers falls short of modern standards; but I am assured by the Board of Customs and Excise that they are taking every opportunity of securing an improvement, and that the grant of new bonding privileges is always made conditional on the provision of proper accommodation for the officers. The whole matter, including the point mentioned in the last paragraph of the question, is receiving the careful consideration of the Board.