Mr. EDMUND HARVEYasked the Postmaster-General whether the appointments of medical officers to the Post Office were regarded as political patronage; and whether, to avoid misunderstanding, he would arrange that public notice should be given before local appointments were made, enabling all duly qualified candidates to apply?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Herbert Samuel)Political influence is not allowed to enter into the selection of medical officers to the Post Office. Appointments are made solely with regard to the personal qualifications of the candidates and the proximity of their consulting rooms to the post office premises. Vacancies for medical officers to the Post Office in the London district are advertised in the local Press. In the provinces applications are generally invited from all the suitable local medical practitioners.
EARL of RONALDSHAYasked the Postmaster-General whether be was aware that the Select Parliamentary Committee on Post Office servants recommended that a further adjustment of the relations between the Post Office and the Treasury was essential; whether any attempt had been made to carry this into effect; whether, as a result of over four years' negotiations between his predecessor, himself, and the cable room staff, the Treasury had granted a sum, the present benefit of which to the staff concerned amounted in all to 4s. 6d. per week; whether he had stated that his representations to the Treasury in this matter had failed; and what steps he proposed to take to deal with this matter?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe Parliamentary Committee did not make any such recommendation as is implied in the question. It is the case that I was for some time in communication with the Treasury with a view to obtaining a modification of one of the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee affecting the remuneration of the cable room staff; and I have recently approached the Treasury again upon the subject.
EARL of RONALDSHAYHas the right hon. Gentleman called the attention of the Treasury to his most recent communication?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELNot to the most recent.
§ Mr. ARNOLD WARDasked the Postmaster-General whether he was aware that the cost of living in the Watford district had considerably increased of late years; and whether he would favourably consider the suggestion to include Watford in the London postal area, with a view to giving the Watford postal servants an appreciable rise in wages to compensate for the increased cost of living.
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELAs the hon. Member is no doubt aware, the Board of Trade are about to conduct an investigation in the cost of living throughout the kingdom, and the results will be available for the further inquiry into the wages of Post Office servants by a Select Committee of this House which is contemplated. The index number previously furnished by the Board of Trade for Watford (104) is within the normal range. I cannot hold out any prospect of the inclusion of Watford in the London postal area.