§ Mr. WILESasked the Postmaster-General if he can state whether economies have been effected through the amalgamation of the Postal Stores Department and the Controller of Stores Office; whether he is aware that, under the new arrangement, the manipulative staff now work 5½ hours more per week, for three hours of which no extra payment is granted; and will he consider the advisability of taking such steps as will remedy this grievance?
§ Mr. SYDNEY BUXTONAn identically similar question was asked by the hon. Member for Stockport on 16th March last. The following was the reply: "If, as I assume, my hon. Friend refers to the amalgamation of the postal stores department and the telegraph stores department in London which was completed in 1905, I regret that it is not possible to furnish the figures he asks for. The amalgamation was accompanied by a redistribution of some of the work formerly undertaken by these departments among other departments to which it was more suitable, and by the creation of a separate factories department, and was not directed so much with a view to effect a financial saving as to an increase of efficiency, and co-ordination of practice. The hours for all the manipulative staff were fixed at 48 hours net. The whole matter was fully explained by the late Controller of Stores in his evidence before the Select Committee on Post Office Servants (Question 22,142), and I may perhaps refer my hon. Friend to that explanation, as the matter is rather too complicated to deal with in a verbal answer. My hon. Friend will recollect that the staff concerned brought the question before the Committee, but908W that body refrained from making any recommendation in the matter."