46. Viscountess ASTORasked the Prime Minister what steps are being taken to give effect to a Resolution passed in the House of Commons on 5th August, 1921, especially in reference to the paragraph stating that, while not committing itself to the increase in the Civil Service 1502 salaries involved in the payment of women in all cases at the same rate as men, the House was of the opinion that the question of the remuneration of women as compared with men should be reviewed within a period not exceeding three years?
§ Mr. SNOWDENThe Government endorse without qualification the principles embodied in the Resolutions referred to in the Noble Lady's question. With regard to pay, I would remind the Noble Lady that under those Resolutions the House of Commons, in view of the then financial position of the country, declined to commit itself to the increase of Civil Service salaries involved in the payment of women at the same rates as men, but resolved that the question of the remuneration of women as compared with men should be reveiwed within a period not exceeding three years. The Government, after full consideration, have decided that the state of the country's finances is still such as to make it impossible to justify the enormous increase in expenditure that would be involved.
Viscountess ASTORBut are not the Government a little ashamed of this decision, after all the promises they made before the Election?
§ Mr. SNOWDENI am not aware of any promise that either I or any other Member of the Government has made which is in conflict with the decision I have just given.
Viscountess ASTORIs it not true that the Members of the present Government were always holding up the other parties as not being willing to give equal payment for equal work?
§ Mr. SNOWDENThe Noble Lady appears to me to be a very much closer student than I am of the past doings and statements of the Labour party.