Mr. T. WILSONasked the Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that the established inspectors of work in the Royal dockyards have had no increase of salary since April, 1907, that chargemen working under them can and do receive 1001W more remuneration for equal time worked than the inspectors receive; and whether, in view of the increased cost of living that has taken place since the present salaries were fixed, he will increase the pay these officers are now receiving?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and it is also the fact that certain chargemen receive a somewhat higher total weekly remuneration than the inspectors. The question of increasing the scale of pay now authorised for inspectors has been considered, and it has been decided that no increase can be granted. It should be remembered, first, that inspectors are now entitled to payment for overtime, and, secondly, that many of them have received temporary promotion with increased pay for the period of the War.
Mr. WILSONasked the Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that acting inspectors of work in the Royal dockyards are receiving less remuneration than many of the men whose work they inspect are receiving; that chargemen who work under these inspectors are, under present conditions, being paid at a higher rate; that the inspectors receive no pay for overtime unless they work over fifty-six hours per week; that if they work over eighty hours per week they are not paid for such time; and whether, in view of the increased cost of living, he will grant an increase of pay to these men?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt is true that, in the present abnormal conditions of work, some of the acting inspectors in the Royal dockyards are receiving less remuneration than the men employed under them, but an endeavour to equalise matters has been made, in consequence of which inspectors who normally are not entitled to overtime now receive payment for overtime worked in excess of fifty-six hours a week, and subject to the condition that not more than twenty-four hours' overtime may be paid for in any one week. The question of improving the remuneration of acting inspectors has been recently under consideration, and it has been decided to grant them annual increments in their acting rank during the period of the War.