SIR MARK STEW AKT (Kirkcudbrightshire)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he will explain why there are now over 130 sorters 551 employed in the Eastern Central Section of the Post Office on compulsory Sunday duty, whereas in 1900 there were only sixty of those officers at work compulsorily on Sunday; whether the amount of work on Sunday has increased 100 per cent. since that time; whether the letters sorted by these men lie for nearly fourteen hours before being despatched to the district offices; and if this is the case, could not the sorting of letters on Sunday be held over until early on Monday morning; is Sunday labour increasing in the Post Office; and have any measures been taken to relieve some of the sorters who have been performing Sunday labour (obligatory) for two years.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe number of sorters in the Eastern Central Section liable to compulsory Sunday duty is now about 130; but these men are only called upon to work every sixth Sunday (Christmas season excepted). There has been some slight increase in the number employed each Sunday since 1900; and the increase is due partly to additional work arising from the removal of the provincial sorting duty to Mount Pleasant, and partly to the normal growth of correspondence reaching London on Sundays, especially in mails from abroad. It is true that some of the letters sorted on Sunday lie for nearly fourteen hours before being despatched to the district offices; but if they were held over for treatment until early on Monday morning the result would be seriously to delay the first delivery on Monday throughout the London districts. No fresh work is being performed in the Eastern Central Section, and any increase that may have taken place is solely due to normal requirements. It is not proposed to relieve any of the sorters who, under the conditions of their employment, are liable to perform Sunday duty, of their obligation in this respect.