§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is in a position to state the number of hours paid overtime worked by the temporary staff in the taxes branch of the Inland Revenue Department for the year ended 31st December, 1925; and whether he can explain in what respects redundancy exists in this Department?
§ Mr. McNEILLThe number of hours was 404,800. This was equivalent to an 2283W average of 108 hours per clerk per annum over the temporary clerical staff, and represented an addition of one-third of a clerk per district. Overtime has been much reduced since 1925. In particular districts temporary clerical staff has become or is becoming redundant, partly by reason of a reduction of certain items of clerical work, but mainly through the allocation to the branch of ex-service men, not already serving therein, who have obtained established clerkships as a result of the Southborough Examination.