§ MR. DIAMOND (Monaghan, N.)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether, considering that one of the duties of the Inland Branch, General Post Office, was a few years ago 12 noon to 8 p.m., which duty is, on the recommendation of the medical officer, allotted to invalids and the older men in the Service, he will explain why this time has been altered to 11.45 a.m. to 8 p.m., or 8.15 p.m., per day for six days per week; whether those men are also under an obligation to remain after 8 p.m. without pay when the exigencies of the duty require it, and by whose authority the time has been lengthened; and whether he will order that the men be paid for all time exceeding 48 hours per week?
§ MR. A. MORLEYI find that the attendance referred to by the hon. Member was altered many years ago to 11.45 a.m. to 8 p.m., instead of 12 noon to 8 p.m., at the request and for the convenience of the staff on duty, in order that they might be allowed an extended interval for dinner after 12 noon (instead of having to take it before noon), and also a longer interval for tea. It is not 1514 the fact that this duty is allotted to invalids and older men, though a few of these may be employed on it. It seldom occurs that the staff are kept on duty more than a few minutes after 8 p.m. The attendance is on no occasion sufficiently prolonged to entitle them to overtime payment.