HC Deb 10 February 1953 vol 511 cc204-5
16. Mr. Pryde

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many temporary civil servants are at present declared redundant in Government Departments in Edinburgh; and how many in the temporary category have been dismissed in the past 12 months from these Departments

Mr. J. Stuart

I can, of course, only speak for the Departments for which I am responsible. In these, the figures required are 57 and 169.

17. Mr. Pryde

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why temporary civil servants are being declared redundant and subsequently dismissed from certain Government Departments in Edinburgh while, at the same time, more highly-paid established civil servants are being asked to volunteer to work overtime for the purpose of undertaking the work of the personnel who are being declared redundant.

Mr. J. Stuart

In one of my Departments, established staff recently worked a small amount of overtime beyond normal departmental hours for a special purpose bearing on work being done largely by temporary staff. I can assure the hon. Member, however, that overtime of this kind is not being incurred by established staff for the specific purpose of taking over work from temporary staff. In the case mentioned, the overtime involved was the equivalent of two clerks for two weeks.

Mr. Pryde

Is it a fact that 34 highly-paid machine operators were transferred from one Department to another to do work which was formerly done by 15 temporary civil servants of comparable service?

Mr. Stuart

That is a different question, but I believe the hon. Member is correct and that for a temporary period a number such as he has mentioned were transferred to do a certain job of work.