HC Deb 11 May 1953 vol 515 cc879-81
46. Mr. Beswick

asked the hon. Member for Woolwich, West, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, how many waiters and waitresses are currently employed by the Kitchen Committee; how many of these have been in continuous employment for more than 12 months and five years, respectively; and how many are in pensionable employment.

Mr. Steward

Forty-seven waiters and waitresses are currently employed by the Kitchen Committee. Thirty-one have been in continuous employment for more than 12 months, 27 for more than five years. Twenty-five are in pensionable employment.

47. Dr. King

asked the hon. Member for Woolwich, West, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, what is the number of hours per week worked by members of the kitchen and dining room staff.

Mr. Steward

When the House is sitting, the number of hours worked by the kitchen and waiting staff during a normal working week is 46½ and 39, respectively. On occasions, when Members entertain guests on a Friday and/or a Saturday night, the number is increased accordingly but usually does not exceed 50 and 46, respectively, for which additional remuneration is paid.

Dr. King

May I ask the hon. Member, for whose own voluntary work and the work of his Committee many of us have great appreciation, whether he is aware that when some of the permanent staff have tea duty they can be on duty from half-past ten in the morning until ten at night? Will he tell us what guaranteed break they get and at what stage in the hours he mentioned they begin to be paid overtime rates?

Mr. Steward

That is not on the Order Paper, but I will say this: the Kitchen Committee have appointed a staff subcommittee to examine the general conditions of employment of the staff in the refreshment room, including their hours of work, pay, etc. This sub-committee held its third meeting a week last Wednesday and will be holding its fourth a week next Wednesday, 20th May. The point raised by the hon. Member will be fully discussed.

Mr. Bowles

Why is it that so few of the members of the kitchen and dining staff are pensionable? The hon. Member said it was 25 out of quite a large number. We came to the conclusion in the previous Parliament but one that they should be pensionable if they were employed by the Kitchen Committee.

Mr. Steward

Out of a total of 47, 33 are full-time and 14 part-time. The eight full-time staff who are not pensionable include two who have not yet completed one year's service, while the others were not eligible at the time the scheme was introduced as they were over age.

48. Dr. King

asked the hon. Member for Woolwich, West as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, what is the number of days per week on which members of the kitchen and dining room staff are called upon for duty.

Mr. Steward

The kitchen and waiting staff work on 4½ days per week, Monday to Friday afternoon. On occasions when parties are given by Members, the staff are asked to work either the Friday evening or Saturday evening, or sometimes both, when necessary, extra remuneration being paid for such services.

Dr. King

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the remuneration which the staff get for work on Saturdays is merely the gratuity paid to them by whoever arranges the entertainment and that on occasions he is asking them to work a six-day week? Does he not think that the House of Commons ought to be a model employer to the staff? Will he look into the dissatisfaction which exists among people who have served the House of Commons very well indeed?

Mr. Steward

I think the House of Commons is a model employer. The staff do not work a six-day week; they work four-and-a-half days or plus one evening or plus a second evening. It is never six full days. In any event, they are paid well above the rates of the Catering Wages Act and in addition receive extra remuneration for such work.

Mr. J. T. Price

While I express no opinion on the merits of the point raised by my hon. Friend, is the hon. Member not aware that many hon. Members on this side of the House would be better satisfied if matters relating to wages and conditions of servants of the House were regulated through the normal trade union machinery and not on the Floor of the House?

Mr. Baldwin

In view of the suggestions that the staff are badly treated, could my hon. Friend say whether there is any difficulty in recruiting members to this staff?

Mr. Steward

The management has great difficulty in recruiting members to the staff of the Refreshment Department for the simple reason that the demand for work which does not include tips is not very plentiful.