§ Mr. JOHN WARDasked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that the Department had not offered an interpretation of the recommendations made by the Hobhouse Committee for the third class clerks, Metropolitan superintending engineers' offices, he would state what steps he was taking to remedy the grievances of that class of Post Office servants, whose scales of pay, etc., have not been improved since 1896, despite the increased cost of living (recognised by increases of wages granted to other classes) and the nature of their work?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe Hobhouse Committee recommended the same scale for Provincial and for Metropolitan engineer's clerks with an allowance of £15 for the latter. This London allowance is given in full at the minimum and at the maximum of the scale, but in consequence of the overlapping scales of the classes from which the officers are recruited, some of the scales containing a virtual London allowance, the full allowance cannot be given at intermediate points. Any of the clerks who are transferred to London from the Provinces are given the amount which they would have been receiving if they had entered in London. As the hon. Member has already been informed, a Departmental Committee have lately considered the organisation of the Superintending Engineers' offices, including the question of the adequacy or otherwise of the authorised number of superior appointments, and their report is now receiving my attention.