§ 2. Mr. FALLEasked the Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that men of the dockyards who enlisted from a dockyard with the permission of the head of their Department were given civil pay to an amount sufficient to make up, with their allotment and separation allowance, the amount of their former wage; if he is aware that this right, privilege, or favour under which these men enlisted has been recently taken away from all men who entered the dockyard after the Declaration of War, even from those who entered with in one week of the Declaration of War; and if he will give his attention to this question and see that the men who so entered the dockyards and the Service should be again given the civil pay which was promised them?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe privilege of the retention of civil pay allowed to Government employés actually in Government employment at the commencement of the War has been, in a number of cases, extended, under a misapprehension to 1279 men who entered the Service since the outbreak of War, and subsequently joined the Forces. It is this class of cases which my hon. Friend has in mind. I can quite appreciate that there must be some dissatisfaction in such cases where the adjustment of the action taken locally under a misapprehension involves the withdrawal of privileges which the men referred to have received. The question is being considered, though I can give no undertaking.
§ Mr. FALLEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that these men, some of whom joined the day after the Declaration of War, were under the impression that they would receive civil pay, and if they are not to have it will they be allowed to return to the dockyard?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThere appears to have been a good deal of misapprehension locally, and as I have said the question is being reconsidered; I will also consider whether the men will, if they cannot get their civil pay, be allowed to return to the dockyard.