§ 36. Dr. Kingasked the Minister of Works if he will provide a morning lift man again for the lift from the Library Lobby to the Committee and Upper Committee Lobbies.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works (Mr. Harmar Nicholls)My right hon. Friend is proposing, for a trial period, to change the shift of the attendant on the Members' Lift, and in future he will be on duty from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
§ Dr. KingMay I thank the Minister, on behalf of the two dozen hon. Members and officials who use the rooms on the Upper Committee Corridor, and may I ask him whether he can assure us that the disabled ex-Service men who manned this lift have been given adequate employment elsewhere?
§ Mr. NichollsThere has been no question at all of interfering with their employment. They will be employed at other points, except for one, who resigned voluntarily.
§ Mr. BeswickDoes not the hon. Gentleman think that this is another case in which one small administrative economy has led to a large loss of efficiency and dignity in the working of this House, and, for example, could we not have a lift man on the lift which takes up distinguished strangers?
§ Mr. NichollsI do not think there is any basis for that sort of comment. We are trying hard to make these changes to fit the convenience of hon. Members, and I think we are succeeding.