HC Deb 15 May 1888 vol 326 cc305-6
MR. WALLACE (Edinburgh, E.)

asked the Postmaster General, Whether the office of the surveyor of the Midland District of Scotland is part of the establishment of the Post Office in Edinburgh; whether two of the clerks in the surveyor's office in Edinburgh also hold appointments on the staff of the Dundee Post Office; whether they are each paid the proper salary for the Edinburgh appointment and another salary for the Dundee appointment; and, whether they perform any duties in Dundee; and, if not, whether the duties connected with their appointments are performed by clerks at a considerably lower salary than that paid to the clerks who nominally hold the appointments but perform no duty?

THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)

The office of the Surveyor of the Midland District of Scotland is not part of the establishment of the Post Office in Edinburgh. In accordance with a Rule applicable to the whole of the United Kingdom, the Surveyor's stationary clerks are borne on the establishment of Provincial post offices. The Post Office on the establishment of which the stationary clerks to the Surveyor of the Midland District of Scotland are borne is Dundee; and it is only the salary which they would receive were they employed at Dundee that they receive as stationary clerks. Over and above this salary they receive a special allowance; but it is not the case that, in consequence of the withdrawal of two members of the Dundee establishment to act as stationary clerks, anyone at Dundee performs higher duties, or receives a lower salary than he otherwise would, the establishment having been specially adjusted to provide against such a contingency.