§ 37. Mr. GOLDSTONEasked the Prime Minister what steps have been taken by the Treasury to ensure that, as far as possible, extra work throughout the Civil Service shall be dealt with by the employment of extra clerks recruited on a strictly temporary basis; whether the present powers of the Treasury are sufficient to secure that Departmental heads shall act in accordance with this policy; if not, whether such powers will be acquired; and whether any extra work that is of a highly skilled character and on which temporary clerks cannot be employed is being paid for at the usual overtime rates?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe extra pressure on certain Departments due to the War has been met to a considerable extent by the loan to them of officers from other Departments not so affected, and arrangements are in force under which, when this means of providing the necessary assistance is exhausted, the Departments can, subject to Treasury sanction, obtain unemployed clerks from the outside for temporary service through the agency of the Civil Service Commissioners. I do not think that any further powers or measures are required for this purpose. The ordinary overtime regulations remain in force.
§ Mr. GOLDSTONEMay I have an assurance from the right hon. Gentleman that it is the intention to employ additional clerks rather than work them excessive overtime?
§ Mr. MONTAGUWhen additional clerks are required they will be obtained in the usual way.
§ Sir H. CRAIKMay I ask whether the employment of retired Civil servants would not be open to certain advantages (1) that the clerks would not be overworked; (2) that they would require no payment; and (3) the fact that at the end of the War they could be discharged?
§ Mr. MONTAGUIt does not seem to me that it would be a useful suggestion to employ retired Civil servants to do work which can be usefully done by clerks out of work.