HC Deb 12 March 1928 vol 214 cc1517-8
68. Mr. W. THORNE

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if his attention has been called to the case of an Admiralty clerk being sued by a moneylender, and the statement made by the clerk that his financial difficulties were caused through the system of monthly payment of wages; and whether he is prepared to make any alteration in the method of payment to the lower-paid workers?

The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Bridgeman)

I have seen in the Press a reference to the case to which the hon. Member refers, and from the inquiries which I have made I do not think that there is any evidence which would justify a change in the present system by which salaried officials are paid monthly. The Admiralty system in this respect is the same as obtains generally throughout the service. I would like to add that I can find no evidence that there is any foundation for the learned Judge's suggestion that cases of financial difficulty are particularly frequent at the Admiralty.

Mr. THORNE

Does not the right hon. Gentleman recognise that where these low-paid clerks are only in a position to receive their salary once a month, they have to go to the small shopkeepers and get their things in advance of receiving their salary, and that they are charged 10 or 15 per cent. in consequence?

Mr. BRIDGEMAN

There may be some cases of that sort on first appointment, and I think it is quite a common practice—and we are always prepared to arrange—for advances to be made in such cases to those already in Admiralty service, but this particular case does not seem to me to be really intelligible in reference to what appeared in the Press. The man referred to has been a long time in the Admiralty.

Mr. THORNE

But cannot the right hon. Gentleman see any way of paying these low-paid clerks weekly the same as other workmen are paid?

Mr. BRIDGEMAN

That question does not affect only the Admiralty, but all the services, and, if the House was prepared to add a large number of employés to our staff, we might be able to do it, because the hon. Gentleman will understand that a weekly salary means a great deal more clerical work. Any cases of hardship of this kind, I think, can be, and are, met by the ordinary machinery, but I completely fail to understand the statement reported as having been made about this particular case.