§ MR. STEADMAN (Finsbury, Central)To ask the Postmaster-General if he can state how and to what extent, if at all, the seniority of the London sorting force is likely to be affected by the transfer of the staff of the National Telephone Company to the Post Office in 1912; and, what claim, if any, has the National Telephone staff on the Postmaster-General which has caused him to issue a warning to his present staff, already civil servants, that the latter's prospects are likely to be affected.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) It is not yet possible to state how the various questions will be solved which are likely to arise in regard to the relative status and seniority of the staff now employed in the Post Office and that to be taken over from the National Telephone Company. The London sorting force, however, will be in no way affected. As it is certain that questions of difficulty will arise, I thought it right to issue a general warning to new entrants and officers newly promoted that their seniority might be affected. At the same time I stated definitely that every care would be taken to prevent hardship.