§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)To ask the Postmaster-General can he state if the strength of the telegraph staff (male) at Belfast at the present time is under or above the strength of the staff at the time the present annual leave scheme was adopted; and can he say under what circumstances the numbers taking leave at the various periods of the year have been reduced this year from eight to seven notwithstanding that at the time when the scheme was adopted a definite agreement was entered into with the staff that the number should be fixed at eight.
(Answered by Lord Stanley.) The strength of the male telegraph staff at Belfast at the present time is practically the same as it was when the present leave scheme was introduced. Seven officers were then allowed on leave at the same time, and when the staff was increased in 1901 that number was raised to eight. The staff was recently reduced, and consequently the number allowed away on
§ The appended figures are therefore the fullest that can be given.
§ leave this year will be reduced to seven for the first part of the leave season, though for the rest of the time eight will be allowed away. So far as I can ascertain no such agreement as that to which the hon. Member refers was made with the staff, and I cannot see how such an arrangement would be practicable, inasmuch as the number to be allowed on leave must depend on the total staff employed.