§ 39. Mr. KIRKWOODasked the Attorney-General when it is intended to restore the cuts imposed on the uniformed staff in the Royal Courts of Justice and upon the ushers attached to the High Court of Justice and the Courts of Appeal; whether he will consider an up ward revision of the scales of pay of these men in view of the present low rates of remuneration; and whether steps will be taken to provide an adequate pension for these servants of the State?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir Thomas Inskip)I am advised that the uniformed staff and ushers in the Royal Courts of Justice will be treated in the same way as other public servants in the matter of the restoration of the emergency cuts. There is no reason for considering a special upward revision of pay in their case having regard to the fact 384 that their scales of pay are based on the rates generally applicable to analogous grades employed in the public service. As regards the last part of the question, the attendant staff in the Royal Courts of Justice is organised in three grades, of which the two higher are pensionable in accordance with the terms of the Superannuation Acts, the members of the lower grade being eligible for promotion to the higher grades. I am informed that there are no grounds for modifying these arrangements which are in conformity with those in force in the case of messenger and attendant staffs generally in the public service.