§ 46. Major HORE-BELISHAasked the Prime Minister whether he will cause an inquiry to be made into the rate of wages paid and the conditions of work, including holidays, of Government servants in all the services, with a view to establishing the principle that no employés in His Majesty's service should be called upon to serve at wages insufficient for proper maintenance; and that their pay, hours of work, and provision for old age should afford an example to private employers throughout the country?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Winston Churchill)The rates of pay and conditions of service of Government servants were the subject of inquiry by the Committee on the Pay, etc., of State Servants so recently as 1486 1923; the standing machinery of Whitley Councils exists for dealing with questions of this sort; and provision has also been made for arbitration machinery to deal with cases of disagreement.
§ Major HORE-BELISHAIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a considerable number of Government servants who are paid wages which are not sufficient to support them, and does he not think that he might advantageously reconsider the matter in order to set an example to private employers?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLNo, Sir. I intended by my answer to convey an impression that we do not think it desirable to re-open this question at the present time.