§ Brigadier-General CROFTasked the Minister of Reconstruction if his attention has been called to the Returns given by the Ministry of Labour on 8th May respecting the increase in the staff and the salaries of officers recently appointed in that Department; and whether he has investigated the work being done by this Department and ascertained if the appointments and salaries can be justified in view of the decrease in the number of disputes, and the discrepancies between the salaries now being paid to some of these new officers and the lower amounts they were receiving in their last employment?
§ Mr. BALDWINMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. The staff of the Ministry of Labour, like that of the other Departments of State, is at present under consideration by a special Committee. I may point out, however, that the branch of the Ministry which deals with disputes is but one of the many branches into which the Ministry is divided, and any reduction in the number of disputes does not necessarily involve a corresponding reduction in the activities of the other branches. As regards the last part of the question, I would point out that the salary of a post is determined with the approval of the Treasury by reference to the duties and responsibilities attaching to it and not by reference to the previous salary of the person appointed to fill it.