§ Sir J. Mellorasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the ambiguity of Home Security Circular No. 36 of 1941, dated 10th February, so far as it concerned drivers of lorries in the rescue party service, which ambiguity was not corrected until the issue of Home Security Circular No. 87 of 1941, dated 9th April, and caused some local authorities to increase the pay of these drivers by 5s. per week, he will authorise the additional 5s. per week to rank for grant for the period between 10th Febuary, 1941, and 9th April, 1941?
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§ Mr. H. MorrisonThe special arrangement governing the rate of pay of rescue party lorry drivers was announced to local authorities in a circular issued on 30th August, 1940, which explained that the rate should be the agreed rate recognised for lorry drivers in their regular employment by the local authority immediately responsible for the engagement of the rescue party personnel or the basic civil defence rate for men, of £3 5s. od. weekly, which ever was higher. The circular issued on 10th February, 1941, intimated that the basic civil defence rate for men had been increased to £3 10s. od. weekly. Rescue party lorry drivers were not mentioned because the principle on which they were to be paid, which was not affected by the increase in the basic rate, was not altered. The circular issued on 9th April, 1941, was designed to bring to notice that the rescue party lorry drivers could be paid the basic rate of £3 10s. od. where that was higher than the agreed local authority rate. The circular of 10th February did not suggest that rescue party lorry drivers should be given an increase of 5s. on the pay they were then getting, and I am unable to authorise for grant expenditure that may have been incurred in that respect.