§ 22. Major OWEN (for Mr. FENBY)asked the Minister of Health whether, seeing that clerical officers and writing assistants are at present employed on overtime in sections of his Department, and in view of the fact that ex-service temporary clerks are at present under notice terminating their employment, he can see his way to so adjust the work as to permit of their further employment?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIt is the invariable practice in my Department, before recourse is had to overtime, to consider whether this can be avoided by an adjustment of staff. I am satisfied that the requirements of the work at present necessitating the employment on overtime of a small number of clerical officers and writing assistants in London and the provinces could not be met by the withdrawal of notices to ex-service temporary clerks.