§ Brigadier Clarkeasked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty (1) in view of the fact that workers, skilled and unskilled, in Her Majesty's dockyards take home a far smaller pay packet than those working in yards under private enterprise, where overtime constitutes a great percentage of the wages, if he will look into the pay structure of workers in Her Majesty's dockyards and bring it in line with those working in civilian yards;
(2) if he will make an immediate adjustment of wages in Her Majesty's dockyards without waiting for the lapse of time that is necessary to get agreement with the unions concerned.
§ Mr. C. Ian Orr-EwingThe basic rates of pay for skilled and unskilled workers in Her Majesty's Dockyards are not less favourable than the rates nationally agreed for corresponding workers in private industry, and payment for overtime is made on the same rates. The amount of overtime or short time, which may be worked, is liable to vary at different times and places and cannot be taken into account as a ground for modifying basic rates. There is no question of the Admiralty departing from the prevailing Government policy that rates of wages and conditions of service are negotiated on joint councils containing representatives of the management and the trade unions concerned.