§ 44 and 60. Colonel VAUGHAN - MORGANasked the Postmaster-General (1) if he will receive a deputation of representatives of the Association of ex-Service Civil Servants with reference to the issue of terminal notices to the 43 overseas and disabled temporary male clerks employed in the Savings Bank Department, Blythe Road, West Kensington; and if he is aware of the dissatisfaction occasioned by the suggested dismissal of these men?
(2) whether he is aware that 43 overseas and disabled ex-service male temporary clerks are in danger of dismissal from the Savings Bank Department, Blythe Road, West Kensington; whether, seeing that 73 temporary women are still to be retained, he will say whether any of these women are employed upon duties at any time performed by the men 1680 referred to, e.g., in the stock branches of the said Department; and whether he will give the date upon which it was decided by a sub-committee of the local Whitley Council to set aside approximately 140 posts in the stock and acknowledgment branches of the said Department for writing assistants?
§ 61. Sir WILLIAM PERRINGasked the Postmaster-General whether incoming Southborough entrants to the Post Office Savings Bank Department will be actually employed upon the individual and identical duties now being carried out by the 43 overseas and disabled ex-service male temporary clerks?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe only overseas or disabled male temporary clerks in the Savings Bank Department who have received notice of discharge are those mentioned in my reply to a question put to me on the 9th instant by my right hon. Friend the Member for Hammersmith. Of the 43 temporary men at present employed in the Savings Bank Department, 18 are employed against posts for male clerical officers, and it will be necessary for them to give place shortly to successful Southborough candidates, who are entitled to prior consideration. Southborough entrants will be employed on the actual duties which the temporary clerks will vacate. The allocation of writing assistant posts in the stock and acknowledgment branches of the Savings Bank Department was decided by a sub-committee of the Departmental Whitley Council in March, 1923. The 70 temporary women clerks engaged in the Savings Bank Department are all engaged upon duties proper to writing assistants, and two only of these duties have at any time been performed by male temporary clerks. I am prepared to arrange for a deputation from the Association of ex-Service Civil Servants to be received by the Department.
§ Sir WILLIAM DAVISONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the dissatisfaction of these ex-service men arises from the keeping on of temporary women clerks, who are largely doing the same work, while the ex-service men are being discharged?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI do not think that is so. Perhaps my hon. Friend will study my answer.