§ 62. Mr. DALTONasked the Minister of Health in the case of how many local authorities his district auditors have taken the view that the wages paid to public employés are too high; and whether they have taken the view in any case that such wages are too low?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am informed that disallowances on the ground mentioned in the first part of the question have been made by district auditors in the case of five local authorities. The procedure by disallowance and surcharge would ordinarily not be applicable to cases such as those referred to in the second part of the question. I may say, however, that I have no reason to think that wages are paid by local authorities contrary to the principle of the Fair Wages Clause.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIn view of the confusion that has arisen among many local 579 authorities because of these surcharges, will the right hon. Gentleman request the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury to give us time in which to discuss the matter in this House? This is a matter of some importance, as the right hon. Gentleman knows. Auditors are giving quite contrary decisions all over the country—[HON. MEMBERS: "Order! Speech!"]—and local authorities do not know what they are entitled to pay.