CROSS-CHANNEL TRANSPORTS. (Hansard, 22 July 1918)

§ Mr. PETO
(by Private Notice) asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that on the 14th November last an assurance was given by the Transport Department of the Ministry of Shipping to the navigating and engineer officers of twenty-four cross-Channel transports, running from Southampton, that the question of their remuneration, about which they had made representations, would be specially considered by the National Maritime Board, and that any increase of pay would be applicable retrospectively as from 6th October last; whether he is aware that the weekly rates of pay of officers of home-trade cargo and home-trade passenger vessels were settled by the National Maritime Board on 11th March and 18th June last; whether the assurance thus given to the officers of those cross-Channel transports remains unfulfilled as regards the great majority of them which are owned by different railway companies; whether he is aware that these officers have been in receipt of pay at only about half the rates settled by the National Maritime Board, and whether serious consequences have ensued; whether this is due to the Railway Executive Committee declining to recognise or act upon the decisions of the National Maritime Board; and, if so, whether he will take the necessary steps to ensure that the officers of railway-owned steamers receive the same rates of pay and conditions of service as officers of other similar vessels—that is, in accordance with the decisions of the National Maritime Board?

Sir A. STANLEY
I only received notice of this question late this morning, and fear I can add nothing to what the hon. Member already knows. The Railway Executive Committee have agreed to pay the initial rates for each grade as recommended by the National Maritime Board, but desire to retain their own classification of railway steamers, and their own system of seniority. The rates of pay will on the average, and on the whole, be equivalent to those laid down by the National Maritime Board, and the increases of pay will be retrospective.

§ Mr. PETO
May I ask what steps the right hon. Gentleman proposes to take, in view of what has taken place, to let his decision be known, that at least the equivalent, as I understand, of rates 1463 settled by the National Maritime Board will be paid to these officers from the 6th October last?

§ General McCALMONT
And will the right hon. Gentleman be in a position to answer my question on this subject, and which has been on the Paper some days, to-morrow?

Sir A. STANLEY
I have no knowledge of that particular question, but in answer to the hon. Member (Mr. Peto), I take it that the publication of the reply I have given to him will be sufficient evidence of what the Board intend to do in the matter. In the meantime, I am personally taking the matter into consideration, and if I have anything to communicate to my hon. Friend I will do so.