Mr. NEWDEGATEasked the Postmaster-General whether he will make arrangements that the same rate of pay shall be given to postmen employed at Sutton Coldfield, a district adjoining Birmingham, and to Erdington, a district recently added to the city of Birmingham, as are given to Harborne, Moseley, Selly Oak, Stirchley, Aston, and other places in the immediate neighbourhood?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Herbert Samuel)The present classification of the offices in question was decided upon in 1908 after full consideration of all the circumstances, and in view especially of the forthcoming Parliamentary Committee I do not see my way to revise it.
Mr. NEWDEGATEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in Erdington and Sutton Coldfield the postmen are paid 25s. per week. Whereas in the places named in the question, they are paid 27s. per week, though they are exactly the same district with the same expenses of living and the same expense of rent?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELWherever there is a boundary line there are variations on either side of it.
Mr. NEWDEGATEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that part of this district in Erdington is now in the City of Birmingham, so that there is no boundary line?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELIt would be impossible to open and reopen the question of classification as it affects Birmingham alone. There are a great many questions affecting other towns, and in fact almost all the towns of the country where similar claims are made, and the House will probably appoint a Select Committee to look into questions relating to Post Office servants in a few weeks. I am afraid the question of classification cannot be reopened until that Committee has reported.
§ Sir RYLAND ADKINSWill that be a subject within the reference to that Committee?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELYes, certainly the Committee will have power to inquire into the question.
§ Mr. COOPERasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the Select Parliamentary Committee of 1906 on Postal Servants commenced its sittings about one month after the first public announcement that it had been granted, and that statistics necessary for the evidence of the various associations were supplied by his Department; and whether, in view of the fact that in the case of the forthcoming inquiry an interval of over five months will probably elapse between the granting of the Committee and its first meeting, he will inquire into the fact that 1186 his Department are declining to give certain information to the associations on the ground that the inquiry is now announced for a date much earlier than that originally fixed?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI am aware of the facts stated by the hon. Member. Applications for information from the Post Office staff in connection with the forthcoming Parliamentary Inquiry have, as on the previous occasion in 1906, been complied with whenever the information has been readily available. But some of the applications have been for information of such scope and complexity that it could only be obtained at considerable inconvenience and expense, and in view of the pressure entailed on the whole clerical establishment of the Post Office, both at headquarters and elsewhere, by the transfer of the telephone system and the preparation of Departmental statistics for the Parliamentary Inquiry, I have been unable to comply with such applications. The same course was adopted in 1906.
§ Mr. COOPERMay I ask if the fact that the telephone is being taken over by the Government is a just reason why postal servants should be deprived of the full and fair opportunity of stating their case to the Committee?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThey will not be deprived in the least of any opportunity of stating their case to the Committee, but my staff is now so heavily pressed that it is impossible for me to lay upon it the additional burthen of making statistical inquiries for the information of the staff, which perhaps, if the work had been lighter, they would have been able to do. The course that is being taken by the Department is precisely the same as that in 1906.
§ Mr. COOPERMay the postal servants rely on being granted any reasonable request, necessary for their case, not involving too much statistics?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELNot only may they rely upon that, but it is now being done. They have already been supplied with a great amount of information on various points.