§ 65. Mr. CLANCYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Government employes in every grade and class of employment in Ireland are paid much less remuneration than the corresponding employés in Great Britain; and, if so, on what ground is this differentation based; whether, if the differentation exists, it will be abolished; and whether equal remuneration will be paid for the same work in both countries?
§ Mr. DUKEMy right hon. Friend has asked me to deal with this question, and I answered it on Thursday last in conjunction with a question by the hon. Member for the Harbour Division of Dublin.
§ Mr. CLANCYIn view of the answer to which the right. hon. Gentleman has referred, that it was not until the conditions of employment were uniform that the rates of pay would be uniform, will he say whether that answer means that wherever the conditions are uniform the rates of pay will be made uniform immediately?
§ Mr. DUKEI think where the conditions are uniform the pay will be uniform. If my attention is called to a ease where that is not so, I will look into it.
§ Mr. CLANCYDoes the right hon. Gentleman mean to say the rates of pay are uniform now where the conditions of employment are so?
§ Mr. DEVLINMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he lays down the principle that where employers sweat their workers down to a low wage that that is to be the basis upon which the Government will pay their wage?
§ Mr. DEVLINMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether that is not precisely the position he has taken upon a number of occasions; and, if it is so, we would like an opportunity of discussing that economic principle?