HC Deb 16 December 1929 vol 233 cc989-91W
Mr. THORNE

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that, in consequence of the decision of the Government to grant six days' annual holiday with pay to Government employés, the general labourers employed

grants in aid of local taxation, showing separately the payments for education, poor relief, road construction or repair, mental hospitals, relief of rates on agricultural land, and other purposes;

(2) in respect of the latest financial year for which particulars are available, what is the total sum paid by the Treasury to each of the cities of Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Sheffield, Bradford and Leeds by way of grants in aid of local taxation, showing separately the payments for education, poor relief, road construction or repair, mental hospitals, relief of rates on agricultural land, and other purposes?

Mr. GREENWOOD

The following statement contains the desired information:

at the Victoria and Albert Museum and Science Museum have been informed that their nine days' statutory and privilege holidays with pay are to be reduced to five; whether the craftsmen retain their statutory and privilege holidays with pay; who authorised such changes and whether the employés were consulted and agreed to the changes; and whether he is prepared to receive a deputation of Members of the House as representing the employés concerned?

Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCE

The Government decided in August last that industrial employés should, subject to the exigencies of the public service, be entitled in future to six days' leave with pay plus five public holidays. The general labourers referred to now get in consequence 11 days' leave in all instead of nine. The craftsmen, who already were entitled to better leave conditions, retain them unchanged. The decision followed negotiations on the Co-ordinating Committee for Government Joint Industrial Councils on which the workers concerned are represented. I am at all times prepared to consider representations made by hon. Members, but in the present case I see no reason to re-open the decision from which large numbers of industrial workers have substantially benefited.