§ Lord H. CAVENDISH - BENTINCKasked the Postmaster-General (1) how many hours' unpaid overtime in excess of the normal working week of 38½ hours the permanent women clerks in the Savings Bank Department were compelled to work during the month of April;
(2) how many permanent women clerks, first and second class, in the Savings Bank Department, who did not earn overtime payment, were required to attend 42 hours in each week during the month of April, thus making up time for the Saturday half-holiday; whether these women have been compelled to work these additional hours without payment, not for exceptional business, but over a very long period, in order to clear off very heavy arrears accumulated during the War as a result of the employment of women on men's work; whether this habitual addition to hours contravenes the recommendation of Section 31 of the Report of the Organisation Committee of the Civil Service National Whitley Council that the clerical class should normally work seven hours daily and should normally be granted a weekly half-holiday?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYThe number of hours worked in excess of 38½ hours weekly during April for which overtime payment was not made was 18,007; and the number of women who attended 42 hours each week during April but did not earn overtime payment was 129. The additional hours have been worked with-out payment since December last. The arrears which rendered the overtime necessary were partly due to accumulation of work during the War and partly to shortage of staff. Vacancies in the staff are being filled, and I hope that the arrears of work will soon be greatly reduced. There is, in my opinion, no breach of the recommendations referred to, as the staff have but rarely been 1061W required to work on Saturday afternoons. The Report clearly lays down that payment for overtime should not be made except for attendance in excess of 42 hours per week.