§ 47. Mr. Radfordasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will modify his recent decision that he could not agree that a case had been made out for the appointment of a Joint Whitley Committee for the purpose of negotiating cost-of-living increases of pay for civil servants to the extent of agreeing to the appointment of such committee to deal exclusively with the case of civil servants who are in receipt of wages of less than, say, £3 9s. per week?
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir John Simon)I see no reason to modify my recent decision about this matter, but it is one which is kept in the closest review in the light of the prevailing circumstances.
§ Mr. RadfordBut does not my right hon. Friend recognise that a rise in the cost of living can be borne with comparative ease by somebody who has 70s. or 80s. a week, whereas it bears very heavily on lower-paid wage earners who receive in the neighbourhood of 60s. a week?