§ 53. Mr. COMPTONasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his 1090 attention has been called to the action of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in inviting applications for posts of junior scientific officer in the food investigation stations at the Low Temperature Research Station, Cambridge, the Covent Garden Laboratory, the Torrey Research Station, Aberdeen, and the Ditton Laboratory, East Mailing, Maidstone, at a salary scale of £275 — 18 — 347 for men and £275 — 12 — 320 for women; whether the qualifications required for men and women are identical in respect of a good honours degree; and whether the duties performed are the same?
§ 54. Mr. KELLYasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he has had his attention called to the action of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in inviting applications for the post of junior scientific officer (physicist) at the fuel research station, East Greenwich, at a salary scale of £275 — 18 —347 for men and £275 — 12 — 320 for women; whether the qualifications required for men and women are identical in respect of a good honours degree or equivalent qualifications in physics and some research experience; and whether the duties performed are the same?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. W. S. Morrison)The scales of pay are correctly stated in the questions, and are those appropriate to the posts. The qualifications and duties expected of men and women are similar, the relation between their pay being fixed in accordance with normal Civil Service practice.
§ Mr. KELLYSeeing that the starting rate is the same, the qualifications are the same, and the work is the same, why is it that the women do not receive the same maximum rate as the men?
§ Mr. MORRISONThat was explained in the report of the Royal Commission. While the men and the women start at the same figure, the man is given what is called a "marriage increment" in the earlier years of his promotion.