§ 35. Mr. TOUCHEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the Customs branch of the Customs and Excise Department, a number of officers who were formerly receiving overtime payment at the rate of 2s. an hour have, since the 10th December last, suffered a reduction in rate to 1s. 6d. an hour; whether this is a direct breach of the principles laid down in regard to leave in paragraph 255 of the Amalgamation Committee's Report; whether a present actual loss of 6d. per hour is intended to be compensated for by a future contingent right to an additional 6d. per hour; whether there is any precedent in the Civil Service for such reduction; and will he say, taking into consideration all the circumstances, whether the £10 allowance made to all members of the former classes of Customs second-class examining officers and assistants is designed to cover the actual reduction in overtime rate in the case of the officers referred to?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI have nothing to add to my answers to the hon. Member's question of the 16th December last on this subject.