HL Deb 06 October 1915 vol 19 cc1011-3

EARL GREY had the following Question on the Paper—

To ask His Majesty's Government whether it is a fact that some of the Reserve regiments in England were paraded last week for the purpose of enabling a Staff officer to inform them that it is the duty of skilled mechanics in the ranks to come forward with the view of enabling those selected by a Government expert to be employed on work in munition factories; and whether it is the case that those selected have been informed that they will be allowed to keep the separation allowances they are at present receiving in addition to trade union rate of wages.

The noble Earl said: My Lords, it was brought to my knowledge last week that the regiments of the Household Cavalry were paraded with a view to a Staff officer explaining to the men the advantages that would accrue to them if those who were qualified for service in munition factories would leave the regiment and transfer to the factories. They were informed that those who might be selected for this work would receive their present separation allowances in addition to the trade union rate of wages, which, as we are aware, amount to £5 or more on the Clyde and elsewhere. This does seem to me a wasteful and quite unnecessary expenditure of the public funds, and I hope that these instructions that have been given to the Staff officers will be put a stop to.

LORD NEWTON

MY Lords, the answers to both parts of my noble friend's Question are, broadly speaking, in the affirmative. It is, I understand, the case that officials visit all the units in this country at the present moment and examine the men who profess themselves capable of performing munition work, and if these men satisfy the tests imposed upon them they are set to work in munition factories. As regards the emoluments which they draw, the broad rule is that from the date of taking up civil employment the soldier ceases to draw Army emoluments, but draws civil pay, which will be fixed in the usual way.

EARL GREY

Then he will not have the separation allowance?

LORD NEWTON

I was going to explain that. The instructions with regard to the payment of a separation allowance to the wife or dependants of the soldier transferred to munition work as a clear addition to any other earnings or emoluments of the soldier amount to this, I take it—that no one is entitled to draw a separation allowance unless he is separated from his family. If it would be any satisfaction to my noble friend I should be glad to furnish him with the War Office instructions on the subject.

EARL ST. ALDWYN

Does the answer of my noble friend really mean this, that the separation allowances which are given to men when they are soldiers and only receiving the small pay of soldiers, are still to be continued when the men are in civil employment receiving two guineas a week—

EARL GREY

Five and in some cases ten guineas a week.

EARL ST. ALDWYN

At any rate a large sum per week. Do I understand that the separation allowance is still continued in those circumstances? Surely if it is, it ought to be deducted from the man's pay.

LORD NEWTON

My impression is that these men are entitled to separation allowances if they are separated from their families. The obvious explanation of this fact, which may seem strange to noble Lords, is that the trade unions are extremely powerful bodies and enjoy much greater powers here than in any other country.