§ 47. Mr. McENTEEasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what are the regulations governing sick leave in the Excise Department; and whether they differ from those governing sick leave in the Civil Service generally?
§ Major ELLIOTSick leave in the Customs and Excise Department is governed by the regulations dated the 6th June, 1929, made by the Treasury under Article 6 of the Order-in-Council dated the 22nd July, 1920. These regulations apply to the Civil Service generally.
§ Mr. McENTEEIs there any truth in the statement that civil servants in the Excise Department are expected to take a week's sick leave each year whether they are sick or not?
§ Major ELLIOTI should not think so, but I certainly would not like to dogmatise about regulations without going further into any particular point which the hon. Member might wish to put.
§ Mr. McENTEEMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman to say whether there is or there is not any truth in that statement, which was made in the House the other day, which he accepted at that time but said that he would like to see it as a question on the Order Paper?
§ Major ELLIOTI still say that I should like to see it on the Order Paper. It is not on the Order Paper to-day.
§ Mr. McENTEEI attempted to put it on the Order Paper, but was unable to do so because of the regulations. Therefore, I have had to put it in this form. I want the right hon. Gentleman to give a denial to a statement like that, which is very serious for the Civil Service.
§ Major ELLIOTI can only answer the question on the Order Paper. If the hon. Member wishes to consult me further on the point, I shall be very glad for him to do so.
§ Mr. LANSBURYOn a point of Order. This question is rather important for the Civil Service. A statement was publicly made in the House that civil servants were obliged to take a week's sick leave each year whether they were sick or not. I thought it was ludicrous at the time, and my hon. Friend tried to get a question past the Table in order to put it 1322 specifically, but it was ruled out. Surely, the right hon. Gentleman must see the importance of letting the public know that that statement is either true or untrue. Many people believe that it is true, because it was stated in the House of Commons.
§ Sir AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINIs it not within the knowledge of anyone who has served in the Treasury that that statement is untrue?
§ Major ELLIOTYes, Sir, but when a question is put to me by an hon. Member there may be certain points in connection with it that I should like to go into. As the official representative of the Treasury for the time being I am most anxious not to say anything which could be in any possible way misconstrued. It was only for that reason that I desired some further notice of the question. It does not immediately arise out of the question on the Order Paper.
§ Mr. LANSBURYMay I ask if the Financial Secretary will take an opportunity, as there is some regulation which prevents the question being put direct— [Interruption.] It is rather important. We tried to get a question past the Chair; but we were told that it could not be put in a form that would get us a clear answer. I only want to ask the right hon. Gentleman to take an opportunity of making public what are the facts. I am sure that the statement is not true.
§ Mr. SPEAKERMay I have an opportunity of seeing another question?
§ 48. Sir CHARLES CAYZERasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether any action has yet been taken in consequence of the paragraphs in the Report of the Committee on National Expenditure with regard to the amount of leave given to certain classes of civil servants?
§ Major ELLIOTThe paragraphs in question will come up for consideration in connection with the findings on the same subject in paragraphs 604 to 611 (pages 174 to 176) of the Report of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service 1929–31 (Command Paper 3909) to which I would also refer my hon. Friend. The various recommendations contained in the Report of the Royal Commission are at present under consideration.