Captain CRAIGasked the Postmaster-General whether he is now in a position to say that a public telephone call office will be established at Downpatrick, county Down?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI would refer the hon. Member to the reply on this subject which I gave to the hon. Member for South Down on the 4th instant.
§ Mr. NEWMANasked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to the conditions under which three mechanics—Messrs. Samuel Pike, Herbert Kerridge, and Charles Hattaway—were transferred on 1st April of this year from the National Telephone Company's workshops at Dalston to the Holloway factory; whether, whereas eleven other staff pension mechanics who were transferred at the same date have been again transferred to the engineer-in-chief's staff, the three mechanics above referred to have been left on the staff of the controller of stores; whether the emoluments and privileges of those employed on the engineer-in-chief's staff are superior to those enjoyed by the staff of the controller of stores, who in addition are forced to make payments under the National Insurance Act; and whether he can state why a distinction 1476W has been drawn in the conditions of service between the two sets of staff pension mechanics referred to?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe mechanics in question will, like their colleagues on the Pension Fund, be attached to the engineering department of the Post Office, and be regarded as established officers as from the 1st January last.