§ 63. Mr. PETOasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Board of Trade have recently invited applications for positions as nautical surveyors under the Board at a commencing salary of £200 per annum; if so, whether he is aware of the fact that the annual earnings of most shipmasters and many ships' officers exceed this sum, in addition to which they are accommodated and provided with food when on board their ships; and, seeing that the salaries offered for surveyorships to the Board of Trade are not adequate for such positions, and in view of the general higher standard of remuneration in the merchant service and enhanced cost of living, whether he will consider the desirability of substantially increasing the 32 salaries of the Board of Trade surveying staff all round?
§ Mr. BURNSApplications were invited recently for some posts as nautical surveyor under the Board of Trade at the usual scale of salary of £200, rising to £400, with a possibility of promotion to higher posts, and a large number of applications have been received. The initial salary is lower than that which many officers are at present receiving, but it is the minimum of a rising scale, and the posts are pensionable.
§ Mr. PETOWhen was the scale the right hon. Gentleman refers to fixed; is it not true that there has been a very large increase in the cost of living since; and have not increases been made in the pay of officers in the merchant service generally?
§ Mr. BURNSI shall be pleased to give the hon. Gentleman that information if he will put a question down.