Mr. DUNDAS WHITEasked what facilities have been given to the clerical staff of the Home Office for beginning and leaving off work at earlier hours during the summer months; and to what extent such earlier hours have been adopted?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLArrangements have been made in most of the departments and sub-departments of the Home Office by which the majority of the junior staff—second division clerks and boy clerks—work during the summer months from nine to four instead of from ten to five. It has been impossible to extend this arrangement to the higher clerical staff or to make it apply to every member of the lower—that could only be done if the earlier hours were universal outside as well as inside the Civil service—but the great majority of those who prefer the earlier hours are allowed them. In two of the sub-departments the clerks preferred to retain, and have retained, the old hours. The arrangements described were introduced last summer and have been in force this year since the beginning of April, and I am informed that they are working satisfactorily.