§ 37. Sir Reginald Clarryasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he is aware that the railway companies do not give their employees detailed pay dockets with their weekly wages, thus causing considerable dissatisfaction as it is difficult to keep an accurate check on wages, having regard to deductions for superannuation schemes, Pay-as-you-Earn, Income Tax, etc., and fluctuations due to varying rates and periods of overtime; and whether he is prepared to instruct railway companies to adopt this practice in accordance with the representations made to them by the Newport branch of the National Union of Ralwaymen.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport (Mr. Noel-Baker)With relatively few exceptions, railway staff who are paid by the week receive a pay check, which shows the amount of money due. These checks do not show the deductions which are made, but anyone who so desires can obtain full information about them from the pay clerk. My hon. Friend's proposal would entail a heavy additional burden of work upon 1343 the railway clerical staff. For that reason, I think I would not be justified in giving the instructions he suggests.
Mr. RobbieMay I ask my hon. Friend whether he has received any communication from the general secretary of the trade union referred to?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerI believe that that is so, but after discussion we reluctantly decided it could not be done.
§ Mr. Rhys DaviesWill the hon. Member be good enough to inquire, whether the failure of an employer to give these details is not a violation, in part, of the Truck Act?
§ Sir R. ClarryWill the Parliamentary Secretary tell the House why railway companies should not conform to the practice usually adopted by large organisations?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerI am afraid that I cannot go into the, history of this matter, but, however desirable the system may be, we could not at present go into it because of the difficulty of man-power alone.