§ Mr. NOEL BUXTONasked the Postmaster-General whether a comprehensive scheme for reducing the salaries and prospects of women clerks in the Money Order Department had been authorised; and, if so, whether he would explain why this had been done, in view of the Postmaster-General's own repeated statements that he was unable to interfere with the specific recommendations of the Select Committee on Post Office Servants which reported in 1907, and which fixed the salaries for the class of work now done by women clerks; 2510 and whether, in view of the promise of the appointment of a Committee of Inquiry next Session, he would consider the advisability of withdrawing the scheme?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELIt is not proposed to interfere with the scales of pay recommended by the Select Committee, but under a scheme for the revision of the staff of the Money Order Department certain elementary duties will be transferred from women clerks to a new class of female assistant clerks, whose scale of pay is fixed in relation to the value of those duties.
§ Mr. NOEL BUXTONIs it a fact, as stated in the Press, that a tentative scheme has been authorised this week in the Money Order Department, by which persons of one grade are being taught a class of work proper to a higher grade, without any prospect of receiving the salary of that grade?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe work is really not proper to a higher grade. From time to time the kinds of work being done in the Post Office are reviewed, and it is sometimes found that through an oversight very elementary duties are being performed by people in receipt of salaries far above the value of that work. It has been found to be so in the Money Order Department. I have inspected this work myself. It is work of a most elementary character, and the class of officers who were performing it is of too high a status for work of that character. That is why a new class has been introduced to deal with this very elementary work.
§ Mr. W. THORNECheap labour.
§ Mr. BOWERMANIs it not the case that under the Hobhouse Report the salaries of these clerks were raised from £55 to £65; and, that being so, is it quite fair that, within four years of that increase being granted, a step should be taken which practically nullifies it?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELIt is not nullified at all. The clerks will continue to receive that increase. It is only a very small number of the women clerks class whose work is being affected at all. A small group of clerks are being employed on certain items of work which are of a much more elementary character than the average work of the women clerks class. They are doing work which in a commercial firm would probably be done by boys. In this case it is being given to a new class.
§ Major ARCHER-SHEEAre not these assistant clerks being paid lower wages for working longer hours, and do they not get shorter holidays than the others?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI do not know about hours and holidays; I should like notice of that question. Certainly the wage is lower.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIs it not a fact that the girl clerks have been accustomed to do the elementary work just mentioned by the right hon. Gentleman and then gradually rising to the position of women clerks? Under the new scheme, will not that be absolutely impossible?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI should like notice of that question.
§ Mr. CLYNESWill the right hon. Gentleman, answer the last part of the question?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThere is no necessity. The matter could be referred to the Select Committee.
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELNot of existing clerks; they will all be retained in the service; but the number to be taken on in the future will be somewhat diminished. Some of the work done by women clerks is more proper to assistant clerks. It is a process that is constantly going on in the Post Office.