§ Mr. JAMES PARKER (for Mr. Kelley)asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, notwithstanding a promise given on 2nd December, 1907, that no existing Post Office servant should be adversely affected by the application of the 1305 recommendations of the Hobhouse Report, the lower grade of women supervisors are now compelled to perform eight hours per day instead of seven, and that in the process of devolution into the higher class of supervisors, for relief in sickness and holidays, they have recently been refused a seven-hour day whilst temporarily performing the duties of the higher class; and whether he will consider the claims of the women to the full privileges of the class into which they devolute, seeing that these privileges were formerly allowed them and still apply to the male overseers?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Sydney Buxton)The Parliamentary Committee recommended that the class of female supervisors, lower grade, employed in the Central Telegraph Office, on scale £100–5—£120 should be replaced by female overseers on scale £115–5—£130, who should perform a 48-hour week. All the officers on the old class were given the choice between the new and old conditions, and no compulsion has been resorted to. Inquiry has failed to bring to light any case in which an officer temporarily performing duty in a higher class has been required to give an attendance in excess of that proper to the higher duty.