§ Mr. David Adamsasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the general demands throughout Palestine by Government junior employees for higher cost of living allowances; and whether, as these are long overdue, he will recommend the High Commissioner to consider favourably these requests and avoid the threatened dislocation of services?
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§ Colonel StanleyThe answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. As regards the second, a wages committee, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice, was appointed some months ago by the Palestine Government to make recommendationsinter alia as to the method of computation of the scale of cost of living allowances, and their report is expected to be available shortly. In the meantime I have recently approved a recommendation by the High Commissioner for a new scale of cost of living allowances for junior Government employees for general application from 1st December, 1942, to be supplemented by local allowances, varying from place to place, the amounts to be decided after local inquiry, with retroactive effect to 1st October, 1942.