§ 46. Sir A. MARKHAMasked the Prime Minister whether, seeing that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has urged that the utmost economy should be practised by every person in the State, he will say whether the Cabinet has considered the question of the State setting the example by stopping the payment of salaries to Members who are not dependent on the same; and whether the question of severe retrenchment in all branches of the public service has yet been considered by the Cabinet?
§ 47. Mr. PETOasked the Prime Minister whether, having regard to the need for economy in national expenditure and the slight demands on the time of Members of Parliament for attendance at Westminster, and the number of Members of the House who are in receipt of pay for naval and military services, he will consider the advisability of suspending the payment of Members of Parliament of their salary as Members until the end of the War; and whether he will give an opportunity for the discussion of a Motion to give effect to this, which has been on the Paper for many months?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)In answer to this and the following question, I do not think that there is any general desire to reopen this subject. With regard to the last part of Question 46, a Committee presided over by the Chancellor of the Exchequer—who will have associated with him competent colleagues from outside the Government—is;n course of formation to consider the question of retrenchment.