§ 12. Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is yet in a position to say if the request made by the Dockyard Members' Committee that skilled labourers should be promoted to charge-men and recorders has been granted; and, if so, whether any education certificate is required for these positions; and whether servitude is taken into account when making the appointments?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)Skilled labourers are not ineligible for the posts referred to, and are frequently employed as chargemen; but for the posts of recorders, as well as for some of those of chargemen, supervising skilled labourers, mechanics are generally considered to be better fitted to perform the duties. Educational certificates are not required. Service is taken into account.
§ 15. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will give the rates of overtime, paid for week-day and Sunday labour in the Royal dockyards; and will he say how these rates compare with those paid by the War Department to workmen at Woolwich Arsenal and similar establishments?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe rates of pay for overtime in the Royal dockyards provided in the new scale, which was adopted on 28th March last, are a considerable improvement on the old scale. Shortly, they are as follows: Time, and a quarter for the first two hours and time and a half afterwards. On Sundays time and a half for hours corresponding to those of an ordinary working day and double time for hours outside those limits. It is the fact that in one respect particularly Woolwich overtime rates are higher. But our conditions of employment are different, and their respective advantages are not to be measured by a comparison of one item only.