§ THE EARL OF MAYO rose to ask His Majesty's Government when the temporary officials of the Ministry of Labour will receive their war bonus. The noble Earl said: My Lords, I have given the noble Lord who is going to answer private notice that I am here referring to the higher temporary officials of the Department. The lower grades of temporary officials, as well as the permanent officials, no matter of what grade, have received a war bonus, but none of the temporary staff, that is to say those who are paid From £350 to £550 a year, have received this bonus. They are a class above clerks. These temporary officials were taken into the Department of the Ministry of Labour at the rate of pay which they received from their old Depart merits, and not at a lower rate of pay than that which a Civil Servant of equal standing receives. The administrative staff have 857 greater responsibility, and surely they are entitled to this war bonus. On May 27 the permanent civil staff received the war bonus, no matter what their rate of pay, and subsequently the war bonus was paid to the lower ranks of the temporary staff. That was paid on July 21 of this year. None of the temporary officials of over £170 received any bonus whatsoever. I believe that there has been a Committee sitting on this subject. That Committee has sat I think for four months, and surely in that period they might have arrived at some solution of this question.
§ VISCOUNT SANDHURSTI am sure that those interested will be very much obliged to my noble friend for the way in which he has espoused their cause. I am not quite certain how long the Committee has been sitting, but the noble Earl is quite correct in saying that a Committee is considering this question. A committee on which the Treasury and Ministry of Labour are represented is now sitting to consider this matter, and it is hoped that the war bonus will be paid very shortly to those officials of the Ministry of Labour who are adjudged to fulfil the conditions on which the Treasury have sanctioned the award of a war bonus. I understand that this applies to those officials whom my noble friend has particularly mentioned. From inquiries I have made I can assure my noble friend that no undue time is being lost. The Committee sat twice last week, and are sitting continuously.
§ VISCOUNT SANDHURSTWhat I said was that it is hoped the war bonus will be paid very shortly to those officials who are adjudged to fulfil the conditions on which the Treasury have sanctioned the award of a war bonus.