§ Mr. CHARLES DUNCANasked the average annual overtime remuneration paid to an assistant of Customs in the Port of London; what are the fixed rules under which overtime pay is allowed to assistants of Customs employed in the Excise Department; and what is the total amount of overtime paid under those rules to the eighteen London assistants since their transfer in February last?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe overtime pay earned by Customs assistants employed on Customs work in the Port of London works out at an average of £12 per man per annum. Practically the whole of this is paid by merchants for the attendance of assistants before and after specified hours in the day. There is no arrangement on the Excise side under which merchants or traders are required to pay overtime to officers; but to meet the case of the Customs assistants temporarily employed on Excise work it has been decided to pay Crown overtime to such assistants when their employment exceeds eight hours a day at warehouse or forty-eight hours a week on other work. No actual payment of overtime has yet been made to the London Customs assistants transferred to Excise work, but comparatively few claims have been received, and these are now being examined in order to ascertain whether any overtime is payable under the rules referred to.