HC Deb 19 June 1956 vol 554 cc1219-20
20. Mr. Hale

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that a number of employees at Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Chadderton, Lancashire, are under the terms of one agreement deprived of travelling allowances on the ground that Chadderton is in Manchester and under a later agreement are deprived of city rates of pay on the ground that Chadderton is not in Manchester; and whether he will take steps to deal with this anomaly.

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Henry Brooke)

I think the hon. Member is misinformed. The officers at Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Chadderton, who were denied travelling allowances when the offices were moved from Manchester to Chadderton have never been deprived of city rates of pay. The second part of the Question does not therefore arise.

Mr. Hale

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the pay also includes a travelling allowance, and that these people were deprived of travelling allowance on the ground that Chadderton was still in Manchester? Is he aware that they were then deprived of the cost of living allowance, when that was introduced, on the ground that Chadderton is not still in Manchester? Is he further aware that this sort of "Heads I win, tails you lose" agreement is almost common in a whole series of the Government's activities, and now that the Government have gone into the gambling business and have a reputation to maintain they really cannot go on like this, because punters will not stand for it?

Mr. Brooke

No, Sir. The move from Manchester to Chadderton took place in 1920, and I must ask the hon. Member to accept from me that there are no people who have suffered the dual blow that is alleged in his Question.

21. Mr. Hale

asked the Secretary to the Treasury the number of civil servants employed by Her Majesty's Stationery Office generally, and particularly at the Chadderton branch, and the number of these, respectively, who are and are not established.

Mr. H. Brooke

Of the 3,044 nonindustrial civil servants employed by Her Majesty's Stationery Office generally, 2,441 are established and 603 unestablished. Of the 401 employed at Chadderton Branch, 308 are established and 93 unestablished.

Mr. Hale

Is not this a very large number of people who are virtually permanent employees, and is it not really the fact that year after year people are being "kidded" that they are to be established and work on year after year until they have to retire on mean and miserable terms?

Mr. Brooke

There have been, and are, extensive arrangements for the establishment of temporary civil servants, and the member of the staff about whom I know the hon. Member has had correspondence actually enjoyed an opportunity of qualifying but, I am sorry to say, he failed to qualify.