§ 6. Mr. Liptonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in settling the wage claim of messengers and paperkeepers submitted by the Civil Service Union in July, 1956.
§ Mr. PowellAn interim settlement has been offered and the union's reply to the offer is being considered.
§ Mr. LiptonIs not it deplorable that it has taken all this time, and Questions in the House, before the Treasury received a union deputation and made a miserable offer of 5s. a week to these lowest paid of our public servants? Why is the Treasury treating them in this dilatory and damnably off-hand sort of way [HON. MEMBERS: "Order."] By "damnably" I mean meriting the severest condemnation. Is the Chancellor deliberately trying to destroy the negotiating machinery?
§ Mr. PowellNo, Sir. There has been no avoidable delay in this matter The offer was made before I saw a deputation last month, and a further reply was sent within three weeks of receiving that deputation.