§ Mr. CLIMIEasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that the duty pay of doorkeepers in his Department has been stopped; why, in view of the fact that there has been no change in their duties, this has been done; whether he is aware that the men concerned have asked, through their union, that a deputation should be received to discuss this matter; and whether he will take steps for a deputation to be received?
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§ Mr. LEACHIn answer to the first and second parts of the question, under the reorganisation of the messenger establishment, the duty pay of the doorkeepers is to be stopped as soon as the messengers selected for establishment are appointed to the new posts, which will carry incremental scales of pay. Eligibility for selection to these posts is a new and distinct advantage, and the discontinuance of the doorkeeping allowance when a messenger establishment is introduced is in accordance with the practice in other Government offices. As regards the third and fourth parts of the question, the request that a deputation should be received was refused because the question had been fully discussed at the Air Ministry Departmental Council with the staff side, upon which the messenger staff was represented.