HC Deb 11 January 1993 vol 216 c602
31. Mr. Skinner

To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his oral answer of 29 June, Official Report, columns 575–76, what further consideration has been given to removing clocking on and off procedures for all members of the staff in Parliament.

Mr. A. J. Beith

(on behalf of the House of Commons Commission): I understand that the position in the Refreshment Department remains unchanged since my answer to the hon. Member on 29 June 1992 and that since that date no representations from trade unions that represent staff in the Refreshment Department have been received requesting abolition of the present time-recording system. Other Departments in the House continue to review the methods for recording the attendance of their staff.

Mr. Skinner

Does the right hon. Gentleman, who represents the Liberal Democrats, understand that it is nothing short of a disgrace that cleaners, cooks and bottle washers must clock on when Ministers, Members of Parliament, top civil servants and people in the press gallery do not need to clock on? Can the right hon. Gentleman and the rest of them not get rid of the upstairs downstairs mentality? Instead of waffling on about the classless society, they should do something about the upstairs downstairs mentality.

Madam Speaker

Order. The right hon. Gentleman is answering on behalf of the House of Commons Commission.

Mr. Beith

Time recording is used mainly in those Departments—primarily the Refreshment Department—in which the overtime worked by staff is important to the calculation of the pay they receive. Presumably, that is one of the reasons why the trade unions have accepted that some form of time recording is appropriate.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

Rather than wait for the trade unions to ask, would it not be a good idea to take a management initiative and consult representatives of the staff to see whether they would prefer to continue with the present system or change it?

Mr. Beith

The matter is under regular discussion between representatives of the staff and management.