§ MR. LAWSON (St. Pancras, W)I beg to ask the Postmaster General why any difference is made in the sick pay of the commercial and engineering branches of the Telegraph Union Staff, the former being two-thirds and the latter one-half; whether the difference made between the London and Provincial branches of the commercial staff is on account of the cost of living, and, if so, why it does not apply also to the engineering branch; and whether he can explain why, while Inspectors have received two increments of pay during the last two years, first £50, then £30, per annum, with a year's back pay, the foremen have only received 2s. per week increment, and the linemen nothing at all since their transfer to the Public Service.
§ *MR. RAIKESThe whole question of the payment of servants of the Post Office during their absence on account of sickness is now under consideration and I trust that it may be possible to arrive at an early decision. The hon. Member is under a misapprehension in supposing that the Inspectors have had their scale of pay increased twice during the last two years, and that the foremen and linemen have derived so little benefit from their transfer to the Public Service; but I may explain that whilst the duties of the latter officers have scarcely changed at all, those of the former have become much more important.