HC Deb 03 February 1931 vol 247 cc1619-20
43. Sir PATRICK FORD

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that the second-class clerks employed in the department of the Registers and Records of Scotland, all of whom have had legal training, many being qualified solicitors, are receiving a lower scale of remuneration than is accorded by the Government to youths recruited to the executive class in the Civil Service between the ages of 18 and 19 with only a secondary education; and whether he will take steps to remove this inequality?

The SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Mr. William Adamson)

I am aware that the salary scale of the executive class of the Civil Service is higher than that of the second class clerks in the Register House, but if it is suggested that youths entering the former class are better paid than experienced officers of the latter, that is not the case. I am not prepared to commit myself to the view that the responsibilities of experienced officers of these classes can be equated; but, as I have already indicated, the claims of the second class clerks are under consideration in the light of developments since 1923, when their case was before the Civil Service Arbitration Board.

Sir P. FORD

Will the right hon. Gentleman keep in mind the fact that one of the qualifications for these clerks is that they must have served five years in a lawyer's office, or three years if they have taken an LL.D. or an LL.B. degree; and does not that seem to indicate that they have to have extra qualifications and that therefore they ought to be better paid?

Mr. ADAMSON

I will take all relevant questions into consideration.

44. Sir P. FORD

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that only one open competitive examination for posts as second-class clerks in the department of the Registers and Records of Scotland has been held since 1915; that only four candidates presented themselves for 11 vacancies, of whom only two accepted appointments; and, in view of the inadequacy of the salary scale offered and the failure to obtain recruits having the qualifications necessary for the technical nature of the work of the department to make good normal wastage, be will, in the interests of owners of heritable property in Scotland and security holders thereover, take steps to amend the salary scales of the second-class clerks with a view to remedying this state of affairs?

Mr. ADAMSON

The answer to the first and second parts of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the last part, I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to a question on the subject by the hon. Member for West Edinburgh on 27th January.