§ Mr. Purbrickasked the Postmaster-General the amount of overtime paid in his Department for the last month for which figures are available; and has any improvement been math in the peacetime system of checking overtime to ensure that the worker has worked 100 per cent. in his ordinary time before working overtime?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonDuring the four weeks ended 31st January last approximately £265,000 was paid for overtime worked in the Post Office, excluding payments made for routine Sunday attendances to provide for postal and telecommunication services on that day, that is roughly 5s. a head per week when spread over 260,000 members of overtime classes in the Post Office. All overtime has to be certified by a responsible a higher official, and I am satisfied that overtime is not authorised unless the officers concerned have first performed their ordinary duty in full.