§ Sir RYLAND ADKINSI beg to ask the Prime Minister a question, of which I have given him private notice, namely, if he can announce what arrangements the Government has made with regard to the salaries of Government servants who have joined the Colours?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have approved the following Regulations with respect to Civil Servants who have been 2244 called up for service in any rank as Royal Naval Reservists, Royal Fleet Reservists, Royal Volunteer Reservists, or as Army Reservists, Special Reservists (other than the Royal Engineer Special Reservists of the Postal and Signal Sections, and Special Telegraph Reserve) or as members of the Territorial Force:—
(1) Their civil posts will be kept open until their return from naval or military service, and such service will count for civil pension and for increment of civil salary.
(2) One-half of the civil pay of a married man of any rank will be paid to him or at the discretion of his department direct to his wife or children.
(3) In addition Army separation allowance will be payable from Army funds to the wife and children of a man serving in the Army.
(4) No civil pay in addition to Navy or Army pay will be paid to unmarried men.
The above Regulations will also apply to any civil servant who joins His Majesty's Forces after 4th August, 1914, with the permission of the head of his department. Such permission will not be given if the head of the department in the exercise of his discretion considers that serious detriment to the public service is thereby involved. The above Regulations will also apply to persons holding whole time unestablished and temporary situations provided that their service is not intermittent, but quasi-permanent and regular.
§ Sir HENRY CRAIKDoes not the right hon. Gentleman consider it very hard that men in receipt of salaries of £300 or £400 a year should, in addition to incurring danger, incur the heavy pecuniary loss upon themselves and their wives and families which is implied in these payments?
§ Mr. CROOKSDoes the right hon. Gentleman's answer include men employed in naval dockyards and Government arsenals?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat question is to be considered. With regard to what the hon. Member opposite (Sir H. Craik) said, I have gone through this matter very 2245 carefully, and I think we are dealing, I will not say liberally or generously, but justly with all branches of the Civil Service.
§ Mr. SANDERSONMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether his statement includes members of the Police force who have been called up as Reservists; and whether the matter is being attended to by the Government in the same way as it was attended to during the South African War?
§ Mr. McKENNAAn emergency Act was passed dealing with the police officers who had been called up.
§ Mr. SANDERSONWill a similar emergency Act be passed dealing with those officers in this war? [HON. MEMBERS: "It has been done!"]
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTDo the Regulations cover the case to which I referred the other day—the case of persons employed on the Sessions staff of the Houses of Parliament called out?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI should like notice of this question.