HC Deb 10 May 1900 vol 82 cc1252-3
MR. M'GHEE (Louth, S.)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, seeing that the Tweedmouth Committee recommended that an increment should be given to telegraphists who qualified for sorting duties, will he explain why the Department has issued regulations debarring all clerks who entered the service since 1896, and all officers who were appointed at amalgamated offices and are now stationed, at large towns; and whether, in accordance with the promise made by him that the Tweedmouth recommendations would be earned out, the Postmaster General will give instructions that the Departmental limitations will be withdrawn.

MR. HANBURY

The special increment was recommended by the Tweed-mouth Committee as an encouragement to officers employed on postal duties only to qualify in telegraphy and to telegraphists to qualify in postal duties, as it had not previously been the general practice to require them to do so; but officers who under the conditions of their original appointment were liable to qualify in both branches of duty are not entitled to the special increment.

MR. M'GHEE

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, in view of the recommendations of the Tweedmouth Committee that an increment should be given to telegraphists for the acquisition of technical knowledge, will he explain why the Department has declined to recognise certificates which are over five years of ago and refused to accept the pass in electricity and magnetism although the Science and Art Department provides the Post Office with an official list of success- ful candidates; and whether, in view of the Secretary to the Treasury's statement that all the recommendations of the Tweedmouth Committee are to be carried out, the Postmaster General will authorise the withdrawal of the limitations imposed by the officials since the issue of the Committee's Report.

MR. HANBURY

The recommendation of the Tweedmouth Committee was that under conditions to be laid down by the Department a double increment should be given to each officer passing an examination in technical telegraphy, and the Postmaster General in recognising certificates obtained five years previously -considered that he had gone as far back as could reasonably be expected, experience having shown that officers who had obtained certificates had not always kept up their technical knowledge. The Postmaster General does not see any reason for withdrawing the limitation. The Postmaster General is not aware of any refusal to accept a properly qualified pass in electricity and magnetism, and if the hon. Member will furnish particulars of such refusal, enquiry shall be made.