§ 45. Mr. Lewisasked the Prime Minister whether he will move to appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into all matters pertaining to the salaries and pensions of Members of Parliament, with terms of reference to include the consideration of the last Select Committee's Report on this subject, and to report to what extent Members' salaries should be amended to enable them to meet the costs of carrying out their duties to the State, after taking into account the general rise in the cost of living and the rise in the wage and salary scales of workers generally.
§ Mr. LewisWhy the difference between Members of Parliament and doctors, and why the difference between Members of Parliament and the industrial workers in the shipbuilding industry? If the Prime Minister will not agree to set up an independent arbitrator, can he suggest some other means of getting the Government to accept their responsibility and hurry up the implementation of their promise? What action does the Prime Minister propose to take to implement the promise made in 1954? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that if hon. Members opposite can go out and earn their living, because we give them the opportunity, I should have thought that they would have supported my Question?
§ Mr. M. LindsayIs my right hon. Friend aware that what the public object to so much on this issue is that we should be judge and jury in our own case? Although we cannot avoid the responsibility of being the judge, the appointment of an outside body to make recommendations at least has the advantage that we do not also have to be the jury. In view of the fact that at some time or other something will have to be done, would it surely not be better to have the advantage of a report from an entirely outside body?
§ The Prime MinisterI have all these matters in mind, but I am afraid I am not ready to make any statement today.
§ 47. Mr. Lewisasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that, since the introduction of the Ministers of the Crown Act, 1937, fixing salaries of Ministers of Cabinet rank at £5,000 per annum, and Ministers and Junior Ministers at £3,000 per annum, £2,000 per annum, and £1,500 per annum, these are now worth only £1,810 per annum, £1,086, £724 and £543, respectively, and that even where a Minister who is not of Cabinet rank draws £500 of his Parliamentary salary, this at present spending value only adds another £310; and what action he proposes to take to introduce the necessary amending legislation to deal with these anomalies.
§ The Prime MinisterAlthough I note that the hon. Gentleman has now extended his campaign for higher salaries into a new territory, I am afraid I cannot depart from my position of reticence.
§ Mr. LewisI am glad that the Prime Minister is pleased to note that I extend my campaign on behalf of all the underprivileged people, including Ministers of the Crown? But is it not really wrong that we should have the present position in which some Ministers have not had an alteration in their salary for over 100 years? Is not that even worse than the case of Members of Parliament who have not had an increase in their basic salary since 1946? Will the Prime Minister promise to do something to put this matter right?
§ The Prime MinisterAs I have said, I will consider all these matters.