§ 78. Mr. HOWARDasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether His Majesty's Government have now considered the position of 2,500 non-pension able ex-service paper keepers and messengers in the Civil Service, whose weekly wage in London is 52s. 2d. and 51s., and for messengers in the provinces 40s. 3d. (less weekly insurance contributions), after having served for an average of 14 years; and whether he is now prepared to review this salary, and also give full establishment, with pension rights, to the maximum possible number?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAThe pay of these employés consists of a basic rate fixed by agreement, supplemented in the manner provided under the general Civil Service stabilisation agreement dated 1st July, 1932, of which my hon. Friend will find a copy in Appendix 1 to the Civil Estimates. As regards the latter part of the question, the classes concerned are ordinarily organised in two grades of which the higher is established, the members of the lower grade being eligible for promotion to this grade. It is regretted that it is not possible to modify these arrangements.