§ 43 Mr. Quintin Hoggasked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he has now inquired into the complaint transmitted to him concerning the working conditions of the telephone girls in the Oxford exchange; and what is the rate of sickness amongst the girls.
§ Mr. BurkeYes, Sir. I have made inquiry and I am sanguine that when the hon. and gallant Member visits the Oxford Telephone Exchange on Saturday he will agree that the allegations made are unsubstantiated. The rate of sick leave for the first nine months of this year was 11.62 days per annum, which compares favourably with the pre-war rate, and with the rate in outside industry.