§ 55. Mr. J. JONESasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in connection with the case of cornmissionaires employed on warding duties in the British Museum, he is aware that these men have an unsigned copy of an arrangement between the Treasury and the Corps of Commissionaires; that the Treasury state that an arrangement exists between the Trustees of the Museum and the Corps of Commissionaires; that the agreement under which this arrangement was made has not been seen by any of the men concerned; and that the Corps of Commissionaires deny all knowledge of it; whether he will supply a copy of this agreement; whether he is aware that these men have been unable to get their case properly considered by the Depart- 612 mental Council; and whether he will give instructions that this matter, about which many questions have already been put, shall receive proper consideration from the official side of the Departmental Council?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSAs I have already informed the hon. Member, no agreement in regard to these men has been concluded between the Treasury and the Corps of Commissionaires. If the arrangement referred to in the second and subsequent parts of the question be that between the trustees and the corps, under which the commissionaires were relieved of the necessity of making certain payments to the corps for which they were previously liable, I can only say that both the corps and the commissionaires themselves must be fully aware of its effect, inasmuch as it has been in operation for over two years. The case of the commissionaires has been duly considered by the Museum Departmental Whitley Council, and I see no reason to intervene.