HC Deb 19 July 1923 vol 166 c2472
74. Mr. J. JONES

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the commissionaires employed on warding duties at the British Museum affirm that they have always been directly employed by the State, and that their agreement with the Corps of Commissionaires is purely a private matter; whether he will state under what authority this private agreement was interfered with by the trustees of the Museum; and whether the signed agreement between the trustees and the Corps of Commissionaires will be shown to the men concerned in order that they may know their exact position?

Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKS

The Commissionaires are in fact the direct employés of the State, though they have always been engaged by the trustees through, and on the recommendation of, the Corps of Commissionaires. The trustees have interfered with no private agreement between the commissionaires and the corps, except to secure the men relief from subscriptions previously paid by them to the corps. I understand that there is no signed agreement between the corps and the trustees beyond ordinary correspondence, and the men can have no difficulty in knowing their exact position.