Mr. TYSON WILSONasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the Labour Exchanges have no system of floating staff for holiday and sick relief work, such as obtains in the Post Office, and that its absence results in overtime; whether, inasmuch as junior female clerks in Labour Exchanges work overtime without payment, he will state why it is more difficult to arrange for payment of overtime to these clerks than to clerks in, say, branch post offices; and whether he will approach the Treasury with a view to the institution of a floating staff, the payment for all overtime as in the case of other junior civil servants, and to the increase in the staff of those exchanges which are overworked?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Runciman)A regular floating staff is provided for the holiday relief of women clerks at the Labour Exchanges, and there is a surplus margin of staff which provides for the holiday relief of the men clerks during the summer months. Sick relief usually takes the form of the temporary transfer of an Officer from another Exchange or duty, but where such transfer is not possible, payment for overtime is authorised, if necessary. I am not aware of the precise conditions under which payment for overtime is made in offices under other Departments, but so far as Labour Exchanges are concerned I am afraid it is not practicable to go beyond the system described in my previous replies. I am not prepared at the present time to approach the Treasury with proposals in this connection involving increased expenditure.