§ 51. Mr. CROOKSasked the Secretary to the Treasury if he can state how many Customs watchers are at present employed in the port of London; how many will receive immediate benefit under the new scale of pay recently announced; how many will receive an increase of not more than 1s. per week; whether he is aware that the Customs watchers in the provinces are receiving an immediate advance of from 3s. to 6s. per week, as compared with the limited advance of 1s. to the London men; and whether this is in accordance with the Treasury Regulations as applied to Post Office employés 2060 and soldiers' wives, who receive 3s. 6d. per week extra when residing in the London area?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. McKinnon Wood)Under the new scale of watchers' pay 249 out of 390 watchers employed in London will receive an immediate benefit, the amount in each case being 1s. a week. Watchers in the provinces, whose pay has now been levelled up to London rate, receive an immediate benefit ranging from 1s. to 4s. a week. I do not think that the facts referred to in the last part of the question affect the decision in the present case.
§ 52. Mr. BOWERMANasked the Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that the Port of London Customs watchers are in receipt of a weekly wage ranging from 24s. to a maximum of 27s.; if ho is aware that the Port of London Authority has recently granted a further war bonus of 3s., making 6s. since February, 1915; and whether, under these circumstances, he will give favourable consideration to the Customs watchers' petition to be granted a war bonus?
§ Mr. McKINNON WOODI am afraid that at present I cannot add anything to the reply which I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Woolwich on the 27th July. I am sending my right hon. Friend a copy of this reply?