§ 24. Mr. SNOWDENasked the Postmaster-General if he has received protests from the sub-postmasters about the rate of remuneration which has been fixed by him for the sale of national insurance stamps; if nothing was paid to them on this account until 14th February, when the sum of 10s. was given, though some of them have been selling over £100 worth of stamps weekly for seven months; if the rate of payment has been fixed at one unit for each £1 of stamps, which in many cases works out at less than one farthing for the sale of £1 of stamps; if the sub-postmasters have to meet out of this remuneration the risk and loss of theft and mistakes; if he promised that the sub-postmasters should be generously and adequately remunerated for their work in connection with the National Insurance Act; and will he reconsider the matter and fix a rate of remuneration which is at least adequate to the responsibility and work involved?
§ Captain NORTON (Assistant Postmaster-General)The payment proposed to be given for the sale of insurance stamps per transaction is about twice that which is allowed in the case of postage stamps. The 10s. referred to in the question was no more than a payment on account given at all offices, large and small, pending detailed returns of the work. My right hon. Friend is, however, meeting a deputation of sub-postmasters to-morrow, to receive their representations with respect to the proposed rates of payment. Those rates have not yet been brought into operation.
§ Mr. SNOWDENWill the hon. Gentleman kindly say what he means by the statement that the remuneration for the sale of insurance stamps is higher than for the sale of ordinary stamps?
§ Captain NORTONThe remuneration for the sale of insurance stamps per transaction is about twice the rate in the case of postage stamps.
§ Mr. SNOWDENDoes the right hon. Gentleman mean to my they are remunerated for insurance stamps at twice the rate for the sale of ordinary stamps?
§ Captain NORTONThat is so.
§ Mr. SNOWDENMay I ask if it be not the fact that the rate of remuneration for the sale of insurance stamps has been fixed at one unit and that the scale of pay for the sale of ordinary stamps is eight units, so that they are paid eight times as much for the sale of ordinary stamps as for the sale of insurance stamps?
§ Captain NORTONI am not aware that is the case, but I will inquire into it.
§ Colonel YATECould the hon. Gentleman say what is the rate for the sale of these insurance stamps?
§ Captain NORTONThe rate is exactly twice that which has been fixed for the sale of ordinary stamps.
§ Captain NORTONHalf that for the sale for insurance stamps.
25. Mr. EDMUND HARVEYasked the Postmaster-General whether he proposes to make any monetary compensation to established sub-postmasters for the amount of additional work imposed upon them in consequence of the National Insurance Act?
§ Captain NORTONThe question of the credit to be allowed for national insurance work in the unit scale by which the salaries of salaried sub-postmasters are determined is part of a general question now under investigation.