_I It is not surprising, in view of the constitution
of the present Parliament, that the question of an increase in the payment made to Members should be raised as a matter of some urgency. Actually it is a very difficult problem, with many sound arguments to be adduced on either side. It is undoubtedly true that M.P.s with a home in the provinces to maintain cannot maintain them- selves in London as well on L600 a year, reduced as that sum is to little more than L300 by the present incidence of income-tax. It is also true that such Members knew all this when they agreed
to be candidates, and that the L600 was in any case only meant to cover expenses incidental to membership of Parliament, not to constitute a Member's sole, or even principal, source of income. None the less, a situation in which many Members are, or soon will be, in serious difficulties exists, and the question is how best to deal with it. The obvious method would be to increase the allow- ance, which would mean increasing it for some Members who do not need the increase, for it would be objectionably invidious to discriminate between recipients ; one flat-rate is necessary. Alternatively free postage might be allowed (as it used once to be) to M.P.s for all letters on Parliamentary business, and some services, such as free typing, might be supplied. Or the present allowance, or even a rather lower allowance, might be paid free of income-tax. But the real question is whether it is desired to fill the House with full-time legislators, making Parliament theit profession, and being paid an income based on full-time service. In my own view, this would on many grounds be thoroughly un- desirable. It is clear that the whole question will have to be faceci by the Government very soon. * * * *
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