§ Mr. G. W. H. JONESasked the President of the Board of Trade upon what ground the Board have formed the opinion expressed in their circular letter to local authorities, dated 19th May, 1920, that Inspectors of Weights and Measures employed by county councils may reasonably be paid £70 per annum less than such Inspectors employed by borough councils on precisely similar work?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe Board of Trade have no power to regulate the salaries paid to local Inspectors of Weights and Measures, which are fixed by the local authorities concerned, and have not, as the question suggests, formed any opinion on the matter, but I understand that a differentiation of the kind to which my hon. Friend draws attention has prevailed in the past. The object of the circular in question, so far as the Board of Trade are concerned, was to endeavour to influence such local authorities as paid salaries below the general level of their particular class to raise them to that level.