11. Mr. TYSON WILSONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Government have agreed to contribute a proportion of the extra bonus that is to be paid to railway servants; if so, whether the Government were consulted before the actual extra expenditure was decided upon; whether in any such consultation the various grades of servants 371 who were to receive the bonus was a subject of discussion; and whether, seeing that the Board of Trade White Paper 293 gives the average salaries of station-masters and clerks as only about 33s. 8d. a week, he will use what influence he possesses to make these grades participants in the extra bonus?
Mr. ROBERTSONUnder the arrangement between the Government and the railway companies as to the terms of compensation payable to the companies for the use of the railways a portion of the War bonus which the companies have agreed to give to their operating staff will fall to be paid by the Government. The Government were informed by the Railway Executive Committee of the proposed increase, but the amount of the rise and the grades of employés to which it would apply were settled by the companies in conference with the railway trade unions without any interference by the Government. My right hon. Friend proposes to take up the same attitude with regard to any other adjustments of wages that may be under consideration. I am informed that the figures mentioned in the last part of the question refer only to money wages, and do not include the value of such items of remuneration as a station-master's house.