§ 42. Mr. Frankelasked the Postmaster-General to what extent the staff in the House of Commons post office has been reduced during the war; and whether, in any general revision of the staffs in post offices, it will be borne in mind that the post office in this House has to deal with exceptional circumstances and that the personal service rendered to Members cannot be assessed on the basis of units of work as applied to post offices in general?
§ The Postmaster-General (Mr. W. S. Morrison)Owing to the considerable decline in the volume of the work at the House of Commons post office since the beginning of the war, the staff has been reduced from 12 to 10. The exceptional nature of the work at the office has been, and will continue to be, taken into consideration in any review of the staffing position.
§ Mr. FrankelIs the Minister aware that, although he says that the work has declined, it has actually increased in many ways, because of the different places in which Members now live, and the necessity for forwarding letters? Will he see whether it is not a fact that the staff are, as I think, being overworked, and whether they are insufficient for the great work which they carry out for Members?
§ Mr. MorrisonThe total volume of work has declined a great deal, and the staff association concerned agreed at the time to this revision. I am always ready to receive any reasonable complaint of that character, but I have received none.