§ 4. Major DESPENCER-ROBERTSONasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the question of revising the rates of pay of civilian employés of the War Department, in view of the fact that some of the employés are now only receiving, after deductions for insurance, rent, and rates, £l 3s. 11d. per week?
§ Mr. SHAWI presume that the employés whom the hon. and gallant Member has in mind are those at the School of Artillery, Larkhill, to whom he referred during the Debate on Army Estimates on 24th March. As far as I am aware, these men are being paid strictly in accordance with the agreements made with trade unions on behalf of the group of employés of which they form part. The recent reduction in their wages is due to the fall in the Civil Service bonus figure which has, of course, affected all Government employés paid under that system. I understand that the position of men in the group referred to is to be raised at an early meeting of the appropriate Whitley Council.