§ Mr. Kellyasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what action has been taken to deal with the grievances submitted to him at Malta on 18th October last; and, in 227W view of the low wage levels, will he consider increasing the wages of Admiralty employés at Malta?
Mr. CooperThe representations made by certain organisations of the dockyard workpeople at Malta concerning their rates of pay and conditions of service on the occasion my visit there last autumn were fully and carefully considered by the Board of Admiralty, and replies have been sent to the organisations through the Admiral Superintendent of the Dockyard. The rates of pay of locally entered industrial employés at Malta were subject to a detailed and comprehensive review, and a new scheme of wages was put into effect at the end of last year. The rates of pay in force in the dockyard compare not unfavourably with the general wage levels in Malta, and, in the absence of evidence of new factors the Board is not prepared again to review those rates.
§ Mr. Kellyasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many men employed at Malta are on the list of established workers; and what percentage this is of the total number employed in the dockyard?
Mr. CooperIt is assumed that the hon. Member's question relates to locally-entered industrial employés. The total number of such employés in the dockyard and other Naval establishments at Malta at a recent date was 7,977, of whom 28o, representing about 3.5 per cent. were borne on the established list.