HC Deb 24 May 1921 vol 142 c47W
Mr. HAYDAY

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that an established civil servant in the Central Telegraph Office performs the work of telegraph operator every Saturday afternoon, until the early hours of Sunday morning, in the London wire office of the "Glasgow Sunday Post" newspaper; that the Post Office telegraph operators were withdrawn from newspaper offices in 1916; whether he approves of members of the Post Office telegraph staff undertaking telegraph duties for private firms for personal remuneration; and whether he is aware that this is aggravating the burden of unemployment among members of the National Union of Press Telegraphists, who have not the advantages and privileges enjoyed by established civil servants?

Mr. KELLAWAY

The reply to the first and second parts of the question is in the affirmative. As a general rule, the Post Office do not interfere with the occupations of the staff outside their hours of duty, provided those occupations do not prejudicially affect the discharge of their official duties, or conflict with their position as postal servants. In the present case I do not see any occasion to intervene.