HC Deb 28 October 1918 vol 110 c1135W
Mr. CROOKS

asked the Minister of Munitions whether he is aware that, under Memorandum 669a, men in the inspection department, Woolwich Arsenal, are paid for the tea interval, but that examiners at out-stations are not allowed to participate in this concession; and whether, in view of the inconvenience caused to these men by being away from home for long periods and the fact that their conditions of service are practically the same, he will make the order applicable to them?

Mr. KELLAWAY

Pay for tea intervals was recently conceded to certain male employés of the inspection department at Woolwich Arsenal on their representing that that privilege was enjoyed by employés of the Royal Ordnance Factories. The concession was made solely on that ground, it being considered that as the two sets of employés were working under the same general rules and in close connection, a privilege accorded to one set could not be denied to the other. This reason does not apply to examiners at out-stations; on the contrary to allow them the privilege would, in turn, probably result in demands on the part of the employés at factories or contractors' works at which inspection department employés were located, for similar treatment.