§ 27. Mr. Boyd - Carpenterasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that under rules for starting pay on promotion, temporary promotion and substitution pay issued with Post Office Circular of 21st September, 1949, officers previously in the redundant grade of sorter at the maximum scale for that grade and now employed as postal and telegraph officers receive on this promotion 7s. per week less than under the former rules; what is the reason for this reduction; and what action he proposes to take.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsThe starting pay rules to which the hon. Member refers were introduced on 1st September, 1949, throughout the Civil Service, by agreement with the staff side of the National Whitley Council. It was recognised that there would be a few cases in which the new rules would be less favourable; but it was agreed with the staff side that, in the interests of simplicity, no exceptions to the general rules should be allowed. Under the new rules, the sorters in question, on promotion to postal and telegraph officer, will receive an increase of 12s. per week; and I can see no grounds for making any exceptional arrangement in their favour.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterMay I take it from that answer that the right hon. Gentleman accepts the fact that certain of these men do, in fact, get 7s. a week less than they did under the previous arrangements? Is he satisfied that the interests of these men were properly represented on the staff side?
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsI must stand by the agreements which have been made between the both sides, and I should imagine that in this matter the trade union are quite competent to look after the interests of their members. The other point is that the 7s. difference is a 7s. difference in an increase—they are not getting 7s. less. It is true that they are getting 7s. less than they would have had under the old arrangements.