§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Postmaster-General whether there were any, and, if so, how many original members of the pension fund of the National Telephone Company who would not be placed on transfer upon pensionable classes, and what would be their position?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThere are in the service of the National Telephone Company officers on the pension fund who, if employed in the Civil Service on similar duties, would, under the ordinary regulations, rank as un established officers, and consequently would not be entitled to pensions. I am unable to say exactly what the number is, but it is not large. Members of the pension fund of the company who are not placed upon a pensionable class will receive an addition to their salary of not less than the total annual contribution at the time of the transfer paid by themselves and by the company into the pension fund.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Postmaster-General when he hoped to complete the classification of the National Telephone Company's staff on transfer for the purpose of determining how many of the company's servants would be placed in pensionable classes in the Post Office?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe inquiries which are being made into the question of the classification of the staff of the National Telephone Company on transfer to the Post Office are being pursued with the least possible delay. The problems to be solved, however, are numerous, and I am unable to make a definite statement as regards the date on which the inquiries will be completed.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSWill the inquiries be completed before the Committee stage of the Bill?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI am pressing them on as rapidly as possible; I hope the greater part of them will be completed before then.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSWill the right hon. Gentleman agree not to put the Bill down until the inquiries are completed, so that any necessary Amendments may be made?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI do not know that the matter really affects Amendments to the Bill, or that any legislation will be required, whatever is decided in regard to these particular clerks.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Postmaster-General how many servants of the National Telephone Company were in receipt of salaries of upwards of £700 per annum, and what was their average length of service; and whether he had approached any of them with regard to their taking service with the Post Office?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThere are twelve officers employed by the National Telephone Company who are in receipt of salaries of more than £700 a year. I have no information as to the length of their service with the company. As I informed the hon. Member for the Pudsey Division of the West Riding of Yorkshire on 30th June in answer to a question in this House, I shall carefully consider any proposals the officers in question may make to me to enter the Post Office at salaries bearing proper relation to those drawn by senior officers already serving in the Department.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSDoes that reply cancel the letter which the right hon. Gentleman caused to be sent about a week ago?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELNo; they are not inconsistent.