§ 41. Mr. David Ecclesasked the Minister of War Transport whether he will make arrangements, to extend to clerical workers the special facilties for cheap railway tickets which arc at present issued only to manual workers on the production of a certificate from the employer.
§ Mr. BarnesNo, Six. Workmen's tickets were originally intended only for artisans, mechaines and labourers who travelled in the early morning hours and although the former qualification is not usually enforced during the normal early morning hours of issue, it is an essential feature of any practicable arrangement for issue outside those hours
Mr. EeelesIn view of the Prime Minister's appeal to clerical workers, does not the Minister think that it is unfair that on certain trains on which both manual workers and clerical workers travel, one should enjoy a cheap ticket and the other should not?
§ Mr. BarnesWhile Iappreciate the difficulties of certain inequalities, on the other hand, an extension of these matters very often involves further difficulties than the difficulties which it is attempted to remedy.
§ Mr. George WallaceIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that, bluntly, these requests are due to the fact that clerical workers are grossly underpaid as compared with other workers?