§ 28. Sir A. HOLBROOKasked the Minister of Labour if he will state the total amounts paid to trade union representatives on the local employment, advisory, rota, and other employment committees of employment exchanges throughout the country for time lost while attending meetings, travelling expenses, and subsistence allowances for the years ended 31st March, 1920, and 31st March, 1921, also the amounts paid to employers' representatives in the same periods; and whether he will arrange for the committees in question to meet after ordinary working hours, and so save cost to the taxpayers?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Sir Montague Barlow)The total amounts paid to members of local advisory committees of the Employment Department of the Ministry of Labour for the two years in question were as follow:—
14 Lost time allowances are paid only to workpeople following their trades who suffer an actual loss of wages by attending a meeting; subsistence allowances are paid only to members (employers and workpeople) who are necessarily absent from home for at least five hours, or who travel five miles each way to attend a meeting. The records of the Ministry do not show the total paid to workpeople separately from the total paid to employers. As these committees are voluntary bodies, the hour of meeting must be determined largely by the convenience of the chairmen and members. Nearly one-third of the number meet after ordinary working hours.
— Year ended 31st March, 1920. Year ended 31st March, 1921. £ £ Travelling expense 3,420 2,209 Subsistence allowances and allowances for lost time. 16,945 16,582 20,365 18,791