HC Deb 16 June 1913 vol 54 cc13-4
11. Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANS

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, whether the Insurance Commissioners have any settled principle upon which they decide how many hours' work a day constitutes part-time employment; and whether a clerk working six hours a day is considered to be employed part-time or full-time for the purpose of ascertaining whether his rate of remuneration exceeds or is less than :160 a year?

Mr. MASTERMAN

The question whether any particular employment is whole-time or not depends upon the number of hours normally worked in that class of employment. Each case must be considered on its merits, and no general rule can be laid down as to the shortest hours which could be regarded as full-time employment in clerical or secretarial work. A clerk whose net working day exclusive of meal times was six hours could not be regarded as employed part-time in the absence of evidence that his hours were in fact less than those customary in the locality for that particular class of work.

Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANS

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Commissioners have any settled principle in the matter?

Mr. MASTERMAN

I would ask the hon. Gentleman to wait until the full Report of the Commissioners is out, and in which this point is very fully dealt with.