§ MR. W. T. WILSON (Lancashire, Westhoughton)To ask the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that a Departmental Committee, consisting of the principal officers of the Post Office, recommended that as a broad principle in telegraph offices the permanent establishment of an office should be framed to meet the minimum requirements; whether a further recommendation was made that delays of thirty minutes on press work should be ignored, and that the officers who did not comply with the economical requirements demanded were not to be promoted; whether the Committee recommended the use of overtime and temporary assistance and learners; and whether he will state if he has discontinued the policy adopted by the department as contained in these recommendations.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The hon. Member is quoting from the Report of a Committee which sat more than twelve years ago; none of the members are now in the service. This principle does not represent the present policy of the department.