§ Order of the Day read for the consideration of the First Report from the Select Committee on House of Lords Offices.
§ The Committee reported as follows:—
§ 1. GRATUITY 10 A D OUSHAIAID.
§ The Committee sanctioned a compassionate gratuity of £10 to Mrs. Thomas, housemaid, who has retired owing to ill health after over seven years service.
§ 2. GRANT TO REPRESENTATIVE OF REPORTER OF SCOTTISH APPEALS (DECEASED).
§ The Committee sanctioned a compassionate gratuity of £30 to Miss Wheeler, daughter of Mr. Gerald J. Wheeler, the Reporter of Scottish Appeals since 1880, who died on the 8th of February last.
§ 3. FEES OF OFFICIAL SHORTHAND WRITER.
§ The Committee sanctioned a revised scale of fees for the official Shorthand Writer to the House, which was brought before them by the Clerk of the Parliaments, as follows:—
§ 1. That the scale of fees payable to the official Shorthand Writer for the reporting of all Committees be £2 2s. for every clay he shall attend and 9d for the transcript of his notes, per folio of 72 words. This scale also to apply, with an addition of 20 per centum, for work in connection with the judicial proceedings of the House.
§ 2. That this scale be retrospective as regards Hybrid Bill Committees to the beginning of Session 1930–31, as regards Select Committees to the beginning of Session 1931–32 and as regards judical proceedings to the beginning of the present Session, October, 1932.
§ 3. That if the Official Shorthand Writer's fees derived from all kinds of Parliamentary work should in any session of Parliament amount to less than £5,000, an additional sum should be paid to him representing 10 per con turn of the amount by which his total fees fall short of £5,000; and if such fees exceed £5,000, a 90 similar percentage of the amount by which such fees exceed £5,000 should be deducted from the total sum due to him.
THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (THE EARL OF ONSLOW)My Lords, I beg to move that this Report be now considered and adopted. In doing so I would like to inform your Lordships that at the meeting of the House of Lords Offices Committee, Lord Mersey informed the Committee that certain of your Lordships and other people had subscribed in order to erect a bust to the fifth Earl Spencer. He told us that permission had been granted by the proper authorities concerned, the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Office of Works. It is proposed therefore to erect a bust on the top of the staircase of the Peers' Entrance.
§ Moved, That this Report be now considered and adopted.—(The Earl of Onslow.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.