Employment

HC Deb 07 March 1956 vol 549 cc2087-9

28. Mr. Parkin

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to offer more opportunities of extended employment to postal workers after the retirement age of 60; and, in particular, what are the nature and extent of the commitments and responsibilities which he has undertaken towards men disabled in the First World War.

Dr. Hill

It is Post Office practice to employ for as long as practicable all workers who are willing, fit and efficient. In recruiting postmen first preference is given to registered disabled persons and to ex-Service men.

Mr. Parkin

Will the Postmaster-General bear in mind that not only in his, but in every other Department and, indeed, in nearly every other industry, schemes are in operation to meet the problem of those who in their later years cannot carry out the arduous duties connected with the most energetic part of work in an industry? Is he not aware that nevertheless we are now facing a special problem in that the average age of disabled men from the First World War is nearly retiring age? Will he consult his right hon. Friends the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Pensions to see that the Government lead in this matter is consistent all round?

Dr. Hill

I am concerned with the particular problem which the hon. Gentleman puts forward in relation to the Post Office, and I am reviewing the arrangements in that respect.

Mr. W. R. Williams

Is it not a fact that the Post Office has done everything possible to try to meet the position arising from the disabilities of these people and to get them fitted naturally and without any penalty into the ordinary day-to-day work of the Post Office.

Dr. Hill

In general, that is true. One or two of these hard cases appear from time to time. The hon. Member for Paddington, North (Mr. Parkin) has raised one of these cases with me, and I am trying to deal with it, in consultation with the union, as sympathetically as possible.

29. Mr. Parkin

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he is taking to find employment in his Department after the age of 60 years for a war-disabled man whose case has been submitted to him.

Dr. Hill

I am in touch with the Union of Post Office Workers on this case.

Mr. Parkin

While not wishing to say anything which would make these discussions less hopeful, may I ask the Postmaster-General to bear in mind that this is a fairly typical example of the sort of problems which he will have to face in the coming years? Is he not aware that it is nonsense in these days, when everyone preaches full employment, to claim that it is clever to take people out of the labour market when they want to stay in it? Is it not monstrous to refuse extended employment to a man of 60, solely on the ground that he has a disability—[Horn. MEMBERS: "Speech."]—I did not know that this was something at which to jeer—

Hon. Members

Speech.

Mr. Speaker

We should get on better if hon. Members did not interrupt questioners and if the questioners confined themselves to asking questions.

Mr. Parkin

I intended my supplementary question to be, is it not monstrous that a man should be denied extended employment at the age of 60, solely on the ground that he suffers from a disability as a war-disabled man from which he suffered on the day he was enrolled as a fully-established postman twenty years ago.

Dr. Hill

The case is not so simple as the hon. Member puts it, but I will not allow his supplementary question to interfere with my sympathetic approach to this case.

Mr. W. R. Williams

While sharing to the full my hon. Friend's anxiety about any of these disabled people, may I ask whether it is not also the fact that it is quite impossible, in a service like the Post Office, where so many physical considerations have to be kept in mind, to keep every disabled man, irrespective of the effect of that on the particular office in which he is working? While I should be very glad if the Postmaster-General could do anything for individuals in need, I would ask him whether it is not a fact that neither he nor the House must start interfering with a practice which has produced such good results in the past?

Dr. Hill

I have said that I propose to look again at these arrangements in general and at the individual case in particular. I think I should be wise to leave matters there.