§ 76. Mr. W. THORNEasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury when the Customs watchers employed in the Port of London may expect to receive the 3s. a week increase in their weekly wages which the Treasury have decided to concede to the watchers employed in the out-ports; whether the Committee on the Customs Waterguard Service and the Customs Watchers, which reported in May, 1912, distinctly laid it down that there should be a differential rate of wages for watchers employed in the out-ports and those in London owing to the rents 1225 and the daily travelling expenses which London watchers have to pay, caused through the extensive area over which London watchers are employed; and if an addition of 3s. 6d. per week is paid to soldiers' wives drawing the separation allowance when they are resident in the London area to meet the higher rents prevailing.
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. McKinnon Wood)As I stated on the 27th ultimo, in reply to my right hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich, the concessions already made will benefit a considerable proportion of the London watchers. I cannot find in the Report of the Committee on the Customs Waterguard Service and Customs Watchers any recommendation of the kind referred to; on the contrary, Section XII. of the Report indicates an opposite view. I am aware of the fact referred to in the last part of the question, but I do not think that it affects the decision of the present case.