§ 37. Mr. C. Hughesasked the Postmaster-General if he will take steps to relax the restriction on recruitment of stiff for his Department in view of high unemployment in North Wales.
§ Miss PikeWe are very much alive to the unemployment position in parts of Wales and seek to recruit there to the limits of our ability. We cannot take on more people than we can economically employ within the bounds of the work to be done and the money available to us.
§ Mr. HughesIn view of the high level of unemployment of which the Assistant Postmaster-General says she is aware and as there are a number of unfilled vacancies in the Post Office in North Wales, does not she feel that the Post Office has a moral obligation to make a contribution towards solving the unemployment problem?
§ Miss PikeI am advised that in some Welsh towns where there is unemployment the local postal staff have urged that extra staff should be engaged instead of overtime being worked. In such cases, we maintain our complement at the fullest economic level. In North Wales the present complements are fully up to strength.
§ Mr. G. RobertsIs the hon. Lady aware that a very large number of young slate quarriers now redundant in their own industry have applied for vacancies at the regional office of the Post Office at Chester? In view of the special suitability of these young men for this kind of work and the undoubted need for development in North Wales, will she and the Postmaster-General have another look at their programme of works in the area?