§ Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee read.
§ Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(The Marquess of Lothian).
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.
§ House in Committee accordingly:
§ [The EARL OF ONSLOW in the Chair.]
§ Clause 1 agreed to.
§
VISCOUNT BERTIE OF THAME moved, after Clause 1, to insert the following new clause:
Nothing in this Act shall affect the pay of any person in the police force who draws less than 120 rupees per month.
The noble Viscount said: It was with pleasure, mixed with some surprise, that I heard my noble friend Lord Lothian say on the Second Reading of this Bill—
I may add that as regards the police service, the police drawing less than 120 rupees per month are exempted from the operation of the Bill.
My pleasure was caused by the hope that such a just provision was indeed already contained in the Bill. My surprise was excited by the fact that, although I had carefully read the Bill, I could not recollect that it contained any such clause exempting from the Bill those members of the police force who draw less than 120 rupees a month. I have carefully re-read the Bill several times, and I still fail to find that such persons are exempted from having their pay reduced; and, unless it be the fact that they are either indirectly or in some recondite manner not to come within the scope of the Bill, I think it would be advisable to state the fact in plain terms, so as to prevent any propaganda being put about that these poor people will be, or can be, made to suffer. It is with the object of enabling my noble friend to add to his statement on the Second Reading that I move my Amendment.
§ Amendment moved—
§ After Clause 1 insert the said new clause.—(Viscount Bertie of Thame.)
THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANI am afraid that this Bill does not cover the point which my noble friend has raised. It only relates to that small section of the higher service who are covered by the Act of 1919. It simply gives power to 370 the Secretary of State in Council to reduce by an amount not exceeding ten per cent, the pay of that particular class. The pay of the lower ranks of the police comes under the Provincial Governments, which are not affected by this Bill. It has, however, been arranged that in the general scheme for pay cuts in India an exemption shall be made in the case of members of the police force in receipt of 120 rupees a month or less; that is to say, up to and including the grade of sub-inspector. Nor will the pay of European sergeants of police be cut. Therefore, the Amendment does not really arise and I hope that my noble friend will withdraw it.
§ VISCOUNT BERTIE OF THAMEIf, as my noble friend says, in some recondite manner these people are exempted, I do not propose to press my Amendment.
§ Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
§ Remaining clause agreed to.
§ Bill reported without amendment.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR AIR (THE MARQUESS OF LONDONDERRY)My Lords, I beg to move that Standing Order No. XXXIX be considered in order to its being dispensed with in respect of this Bill.
§ Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to.
§ Then (Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended) Bill read 3a, and passed.