§ Mr. W. GRAHAMasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that 1524W the efficiency bar for women clerks has been applied much more stringently in the accountant's office, Edinburgh, than any efficiency bar has ever been applied to the second division men in that office; that eight of the 32 women at the bar have been stopped, whereas only three men have ever been stopped in the accountant's office during the whole of its history; that only three second division men out of 46 have been allowed to enter the executive grade at the present time; and whether, in view of this disparity between the number of men and women who have been penalised, he will authorise investigation of the treatment of the women clerks in Edinburgh?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYThis matter has been under my notice on several occasions, and I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to a question on the 13th instant by the hon. and gallant Member for Leith (Captain W. Bean). I cannot agree that the efficiency bar has been applied more stringently to women than to men in the accountant's office at Edinburgh.