§ 25. Mr. Norman Bowerasked the Minister of Works if he is aware that a number of temporary employees in his Department are shortly to be discharged on grounds of redundancy within a few 549 months, and in some cases a few weeks, of the date when they would be entitled to receive gratuities on completion of seven years' service; and whether, in view of the fact that some of these men are no longer young and may have difficulty in finding other employment, he will arrange for them to be employed on other duties until they become entitled to their gratuities.
§ Mr. KeyNotice has been given to a number of temporary officers in accordance with the redundancy procedure agreed by the Departmental Whitley Council. Where possible continued employment in a lower grade is offered as an alternative to discharge, but I should not be justified in prolonging the appointments of redundant officers for whom there is no suitable work merely to enable them to qualify for gratuities.
§ Mr. BowerDoes the Minister realise that these discharges shortly before the men concerned would have been entitled to gratuities at the end of seven years' service, have all the appearance of being deliberate, and do they not completely explode the idea that the Government are good employers of labour?
§ Mr. KeyI can assure the hon. Member that they are not deliberate. This action is only taken after very careful consideration of whether there is an opportunity for employment in a lower grade to be offered to the people concerned.
§ Mr. Oliver StanleyIf it is found necessary to discharge one of these men, say a few days or weeks before the completion of a period of seven years, has the Minister any power to make a compassionate grant of a proportionate sum, or does it mean that if he fails by a few weeks he misses everything?
§ Mr. KeyThere is no power to make a compassionate grant. If a man fails to complete the necessary period, then the gratuity is not given. If it is only a matter of a few weeks, we could see if a temporary arrangement could be made for that purpose, but for rather longer periods than that I should not be justified in continuing employment.
§ Mr. PiratinCould not work be provided for these men which, in the normal course, is done by private contractors under contract to the Ministry of Works?
§ Mr. KeyThese are men engaged on the administrative side of the Department and, therefore, not on work which could be done by contractors.
§ Squadron-Leader FlemingIs it not a fact that, while the Minister is in such a hurry to discharge these employees, he is actually taking on other employees?
§ Mr. BowerDoes not the Minister agree that I have already brought to his notice the case of one of my constituents where only a matter of a few weeks was concerned, and that the Minister said that no arrangements could be made? Now he says that arrangements can be made, and will he please see that some arrangement is made?