COMMISSION ON PARLIAMENT STAFF (Report)

The Minister for Law (Mr E.W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move the Motion* standing in my name as it appears on the Order Paper.

*The Motion reads as follows:

That this Parliament, noting the Report of the Commission on Parliament Staff as contained in Paper Misc. 8 of 1982, accepts the recommendations of the Commission as contained in paragraph 10 thereof and resolves in accordance with such recommendations.

Hon. Members are aware from the Report which was presented to this House as Paper Misc. 8 of 1982 that a Commission consisting of you, Mr Speaker, the Minister for Finance, the Minister of Defence and Second Minister for Health, the Minister for Trade and Industry, and a member of the Public Service Commission was appointed to study the revision of salary scales of posts in the Parliament service consequent on the revision of salary scales of posts in other services in the Civil Service.

The Commission has met and made its recommendations. The Report is brief and speaks for itself. I have no comments to make thereon but have no hesitation in saying, Mr Speaker, that your staff have always set a high standard of performance and lent a willing and able helping hand to Members of this House, some of whom, sometimes, grope, as if in the dark, with our Standing Orders. Members, I am sure, will agree with me that an increase in the salaries of the staff of this House is long overdue and the Commission has recommended that the increases be as set out in paragraph 10 of the Report and take effect from the 1st June, 1982.

Sir, I move that this House resolves accordingly.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Parliament, noting the Report of the Commission on Parliament Staff as contained in Paper Misc. 8 of 1982, accepts the recommendations of the Commission as contained in paragraph 10 thereof and resolves in accordance with such recommendations.