§ 28. Mr. W. THORNEasked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the fact that the wage of a Post Office sorter Employed at Mount Pleasant at a weekly wage of £2 17s. 6d. was reduced by 10s owing to physical disability; if he will state whether this is the general practice of his department; how many employés are similarly graded; 964 and if he will state whether they do the same work as other sorters who have no physical disability.
§ Viscount WOLMERThe officer to whom I assume the hon. Member refers was appointed on probation as a Porter—not a Sorter—in February, 1927. During his period of probation the state of his health was such that he could not be accepted as an established officer. In ordinary course, his services would then have been dispensed with; but as he was an ex-service man, endeavours were made to find him a permanent post in an un-established capacity, and meanwhile, to avoid a break in his service he was given temporary employment which happened to be available at the appropriate rate of wages. It is not the general practice of the Post Office to grade the pay of officers on any particular class in accordance with their physical disability, and the latter part of the hon. Member's question does not therefore arise.
§ Sir BERTRAM FALLEHas this man a disability pension?
§ Viscount WOLMERI must ask for notice of that Question.