§ 85. Mr. BAKERasked the right hon. Member for Cheltenham, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, whether he is aware that, as the House will not rise before 8th August, 70 members of his staff will have considerable difficulty in finding seasonal work when they are discharged because the holiday season will have started before that date; whether he will consider the possibility of releasing members of the staff employed under 367 the control of his Committee at a date in July to enable them to obtain employment at seaside and holiday resorts without prejudice to their re-engagement in the service of this House or, alternatively, whether he will represent to the Ministry of Labour the unusual nature of the conditions attaching to employment under the Kitchen Committee of the House with a view to special provision being made in the case of unemployment?
Sir JAMES AGO-GARDNERIn reply to the question of the hon. Member, the Kitchen Committee are aware of the circumstances mentioned in the question, and are prepared to make adequate provision in cases where such a provision is needed.
§ Mr. NICHOLWould it not be possible to put the staff of the Kitchen Committee on the same basis as the other servants of the House of Commons, that is to say, on a permanent basis?
§ Viscount CURZONIs not this question a hardy annual?
§ Sir J. AGG-GARDNERIt would not be possible to maintain our entire staff during the long Recess on the same footing. There have always been temporary and permanent employés.
§ Mr. BAKERWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the desirability of asking the Treasury to re-institute the subsidy previously granted to the Kitchen Committee?
§ Sir J. AGG-GARDNERWe should, of course, be relieved by receiving a renewal of the subsidy. But we are unwilling to ask for it, in the present condition of affairs.