§ 26 and 32. Mr. Pitmanasked the Minister of Health (1) whether, in the coming census enumeration priority will be given in the appointment of enumerators to those in retirement, particularly to retired civil servants whose unestablished service prior to 1949 does not count in full for superannuation;
(2) whether he will issue guidance to local education authorities supplementary to Administrative Memorandum No. 1/61 issued by the Minister of Education, to ensure that priority in the recruitment of enumerators for the census is given wherever possible to retired teachers and that those on full earnings should not be allowed to stand in the way of suitable recruits whose earnings have ceased.
§ Miss PittThe instructions about appointment of enumerators provide that special consideration should be given to persons put forward by employment exchanges. These will include retired Persons who have registered for suitable work, including retired civil servants and teachers.
§ Mr. PitmanIs my hon. Friend aware that, for instance, the First Lord of the Admiralty in Bath has circulated to all members of his staff a notice about the employment of enumerators and offering leave on full pay to those people who care to apply? Will it be at all possible to ensure that these posts are notified at the local employment exchange so that people may hear about them? My information is that the employment exchange does not sufficiently advertise such posts and retired people are thereby not being given an opportunity to apply.
§ Miss PittThe appointment of the enumerators is a matter for the local census officers to whom, in fact, it has been delegated, but I understand that all employment exchanges have been asked to help where suitable people are available. The work involves a particular 16 aptitude for dealing with the public, because this is a confidential inquiry, and it also involves some physical capacity, because of the walking, but I would expect a proportion of retired people to make a contribution.
§ Mr. PitmanThe question is how does an employment exchange find out the names and addresses of people who would apply, because those people would not normally be registered at the employment exchange for the purpose of getting jobs?
§ Miss PittIt must be assumed that if people want work they will have registered with the employment exchanges.