HC Deb 16 November 1916 vol 87 cc990-1
27. Mr. P. MEEHAN

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland when the Irish prison warders will receive the increased pay granted them?

41. Mr. SCANLAN

asked the Chief "Secretary for Ireland, seeing that the Government have decided to give an increase of pay to Irish prison warders with retrospective effect as from the 1st April, 1916, why the promise of the Government has not yet been carried out; and whether it is the intention of the Government to redeem now this pledge made by them to this body of Civil servants?

Mr. DUKE

The settlement of a reorganisation scheme was made by the Treasury a condition precedent to the grant of the increase of pay referred to, and instated by the Prisons Board to be a matter of complexity involving much correspondence between the Departments concerned. I shall do anything in my power to accelerate the payments; but the hardship of the unavoidable delay is mitigated by the fact that the increased payments will have retrospective effect.

Mr. DILLON

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the intolerable hardship of keeping these men waiting for months—I am not sure it is not for more than a year —after the concession has been granted, especially in times. like these, for an increase in their pay, which the Treasury and the Irish Government have agreed should be given to them?

Mr. DUKE

I think the case is not so-bad as the hon. Member has suggested in his supplementary question. The decision arrived at was that the increase was to have retrospective effect as from the beginning of April this year. I recognise that every effort should be made to accelerate payments of this kind, and I can assure the hon. Member that, so far as my powers go, I will do my best.

Mr. FLAVIN

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how they are to get sufficient money to buy food for themselves and their families?

Mr. DUKE

I think the hon. Member knows that there is a system of credit in Ireland by which a man in this position is very likely to get credit for a few months.

Mr. FLAVIN

Surely the right hon. Gentleman knows that if anybody buys food on credit there is an increase in cost of 25 per cent., and that on a miserable "wage?

Mr. SCANLAN

Is it not the case, so far as the present Board and the Irish Government are concerned, that the claim for rearrangement has been settled, and that the only delay is on the part of the Treasury; and, if this is so, will he bring all the pressure at his command to bear on the Treasury in order to put an end to this delay?

Mr. DUKE

The hon. Member may rest assured that I will make use of such suggestions as those contained in the question.