Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Minister of Labour the amount of lost time through sickness of the members of the staffs of the Employment Exchanges during the past three months and the corresponding three months in the preceding three years?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI regret that the figures for which the hon. Member asks are not available. I am, however, in a position to inform him that the Department made an inquiry last year, with a view to ascertaining whether the incidence of sick leave was heavier in the Ministry of Labour than in other Departments of State. For the purposes of the inquiry, information as to the sick leave of staff for the period covering, approximately, the two years ended January, 1924, was obtained for the Ministry of Labour and for 10 other Departments, and it was found that the sick leave record in the Ministry of Labour did not compare unfavourably with that of those Departments. So far, indeed, as the Employment Exchanges were concerned, it was found that the percentages of sick leave during the two years were 5.2 and 8.7, respectively, as against 8.7 and 9.2 for all the other Departments.
Mr. THOMSONasked the Minister of Labour whether overtime is being worked in any Employment Exchanges to the detriment of the efficiency of the 2234W work done; and whether he is taking any steps to reduce the amount of overtime?
§ Mr. BETTERTONThe working of overtime at the Exchanges is carefully watched, and is kept down to the lowest practicable point. Additional temporary staff is engaged where necessary, and I am not aware that any avoidable overtime is worked to the detriment of efficiency.