§ 26. Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEasked the Minister of Health whether he has issued any instructions to the public auditor in reference to equal pay for equal work for men and women; and on 1390 what grounds the public auditor surcharged the Woolwich Borough Council for paying to women bath attendance and convenience attendants the same wages as to men with identical qualifications and the same hours?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. I understand that the auditor made the surcharge referred to in the second part of the question on the grounds that the work done by women and men in the lowest manual labour grade was not equal and was subject to different awards by the Joint Industrial Council concerned.
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEDoes the right, hon. Gentleman consider that that answers the second part of the question which refers, not to the lowest manual labour grade, but to those persons who have particular qualifications for particular work? Why does the auditor deal with those particular persons in that way?