§ 1. Mrs. Joyce Butlerasked the Postmaster-General what is the hourly rate of pay of women part-time workers in sub-past offices.
§ The Assistant Postmaster-General (Mr. Joseph Slater)No rate of pay is laid down for sub-office assistants. One of the conditions on which a sub-postmaster holds his appointment is, however, that conditions for his employees on Post Office work should not be less favourable than those agreed for shop assistants generally in the same district.
§ Mrs. ButlerCan my right hon. Friend say what action is taken to ensure that sub-postmasters pay wages to part-time workers consistent with the shop assistants' scale? Does he not think that 452 the time is probably right for a reconsideration of this scale with the appropriate body to make it more commensurate with the work that is actually done?
§ Mr. SlaterA sub-postmaster makes an annual return to the head-postmaster of the assistants employed on post office work, their pay and the average number of hours worked. If the wages seem out of line, representations would be made to him, but it is for him to decide whether payment above the general level is appropriate.