§ 65. Mr. A. Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date the Society of Civil Servants submitted their 173W claim for improved salary scales for their members; what reply has been given; and on what date was this sent to the union concerned.
§ Mr. JayThe claim was submitted on 28th July, 1949, and a reply was sent on 4th August asking the Society to reconsider it in the light of the economic situation. It was discussed at a meeting on 19th October when the Society were again asked to refrain from pressing it. No further communication has been received from the Society since a letter of 30th November, which said that they would inform the Treasury of the action they proposed to take.
§ 66. Mr. A. Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact the technical civil servants are not receiving the equivalent of the trade union rates paid outside the Civil Service, and that they have received no salary adjustment since 1946, he will now agree to grant them an increase on their present rates to compensate them for the increased cost of living since the date of their last award.
§ Mr. JayI understand that my hon. Friend is referring to a claim made last January by the Society of Technical Civil Servants on behalf of the Tracing Grades in the Civil Service. The Treasury then contested the Society's view that their members were not receiving a fair equivalent of the rates paid outside the Civil Service, especially when superannuation benefits and other conditions of service were measured against those prevailing outside, and I am not aware of any changes in the last few months which would justify a re-examination of this claim.