§ 34. Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that civil servants in receipt of over£500 a year are subjected to a super-cut on war bonus not applicable to other members of the Civil Service; that there is dissatisfaction in the service in consequence whether application has been made by the staff side of the Civil Service National Whitley Council for the official side to agree to terms of remit for the submission of the case to the Civil Service Arbitration Court; what are the reasons which are causing the official side to delay agreeing to the formalities necessary under the constitution of the court; and whether he will give assurances to expedite the submission of the case to arbitration?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe staff side of the Civil Service National Whitley Council have made repeated representations on the subject referred to in the hon. and learned Member's question, and on being informed that His Majesty's Government were not able to agree, in existing circumstances, to the cessation of the scheme for the payment of reduced rates of bonus to civil servants receiving basic salaries in excess of£500 a year, have asked that their claim should be submitted to arbitration. The matter is now under consideration, and there will be no avoidable delay in dealing with it.