§ Sir WILLIAM BULLasked the Postmaster-General whether the assistant clerks (new class) serving in the engineering department of the General Post Office have petitioned for a transfer en bloc to Government Departments outside the Post 1754W Office; if so, will he state the circumstances prevailing in that Department which actuates this request; and what steps he is taking with a view to granting their application?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The circumstances which actuate the request of the assistant clerks are that in the normal course the promotion of assistant clerks in the engineering department is not to the class of second division, but to the third class of engineering clerks, and that their prospects are likely to be prejudicially affected by the assignment to their class of officers transferred from the National Telephone Company. The request for transfer must come from the other Department concerned, but if in the case of assistant clerks the transfer of any is applied for I will raise no objection.
§ Sir WILLIAM BULLasked whether those officers employed in the engineering department of the General Post Office who were taken over from the National Telephone Company as assistant clerks will be eligible, with others of the class, for transfer from that Department to similar situations in Government Departments outside the General Post Office without further certificate of qualification?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThis point is receiving the consideration of the Civil Service Commissioners, although no such transfer has yet been asked for.
§ Sir WILLIAM BULLasked the Postmaster-General (1) whether the principles to be applied in determining the seniority of those officers taken over from the National Telephone Company have yet been settled; and, if so, will he state whether any extensive alteration in the existing seniority list of the assistant clerks serving in the engineering department of the General Post Office will be necessary; (2) whether, in view of the fact that it is not possible for an assistant clerk to obtain his position as such at the actual age of seventeen, he will consider the advisability of dating the seniority of the eleven officers of the late National Telephone Company employed in the engineering department of the General Post Office, who were on the 1st January, 1912, under the age of seventeen, and who will be appointed to the assistant clerks' class on attaining that age, from the time they reach the average age of appointment 1755W to the class, namely, eighteen, since otherwise the seniority of those assistant clerks coining in immediately afterwards as the result of an open competitive examination will be adversely affected?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe seniority of these officers has not yet been determined, and before a decision is arrived at the suggestion contained in the hon. Member's last question shall be duly considered.
§ Sir WILLIAM BULLasked the Postmaster-General if he will state the reason of his decision to withhold further prospect of advancement from the two assistant clerks serving in the engineering department of the General Post Office, who were offered, but were unable to accept, appointments to the grade of third-class clerks, superintending engineers' offices, on the ground that such appointments could not be considered by them as constituting a sufficient recompense for meritorious service and ability?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELI would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to a similar question put by the junior Member for Newcastle-on-Tyne on the 16th July last.