§ Mr. ALLEN PARKINSONasked the Minister of Pensions what degree of redundancy is expected amongst temporary officials above Grade I in the case of men and women, respectively, during the coming winter?
§ Major TRYONI regret that it is not possible at present to forecast the extent to which temporary officials may become redundant next winter; but I can assure the hon. Member that the position will be carefully watched with a view to adjusting the numbers of staff to the requirements of the work.
§ Mr. J. DAVISONasked the Minister of Pensions what is the number of temporary women employés who sat for the special clerical class examination in 1920 and took over half marks, but have not been so far regarded as eligible for establishment, as writing assistants?
§ Major TRYONAs the hon. Member will see from the table of results of the examination in question, which is obtainable from the Stationery Office, there were 2,380 candidates who obtained more than half marks, but less than the 525 marks which have hitherto been regarded as the minimum qualification for appointment as a writing assistant. It has not been possible in the time available to make the detailed inquiry necessary to ascertain which of the 2,380 are members of the staff of the Ministry of Pensions.
§ Mr. GRUNDYasked the Minister of Pensions what is the average length of service of the women employed in the Pensions Issue Office in a temporary capacity; whether over a thousand of these will be discharged during this winter; and whether any assistance will be made by the Department to assist them after demobilisation?
§ Major TRYONThe majority of the temporary women staff employed in Pension Issue Office were appointed in 1918, and the average length of service of those still on the staff may be taken as five years. It will be necessary to demobilise during the current year a considerable number of these. The women affected will, of course, be eligible for unemployment insurance benefit, but I am afraid that there are no funds at my disposal from which any special assistance could be given to them.
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§ Mr. G. HIRSTasked the Minister of Pensions whether the average Grade 3 woman clerk had reached the maximum rate of pay for her grade based on increments not on any subsequent bonus by December, 1920?
§ Major TRYONThe answer is in the negative. The maximum pay of a Grade 3 clerk is reached after three years, and the majority of the temporary women clerks had not completed that period of service by December, 1920.
§ Mr. GRIFFITHSasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware of the increasing difficulty found by women writing assistants and others on the established staff of his Department in finding local accommodation within their means and that consequently many of those concerned are getting into debt or are not eating sufficiently; and whether he will endeavour to persuade the local council to encourage schemes for the provision of suitable housing accommodation for these badly-paid women workers?
§ Major TRYONWomen writing assistants and clerical officers at the minimum of the scale are at present paid at the rate of 39s. 8d. a week and £144 a year respectively if 18 years of age or over. I am in sympathy with any practicable proposal for providing housing accommodation, but I am not in a position to press the local council to give preference to Government employés; the matter is, of course, one primarily for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health.
§ Mr. GRUNDYasked the Minister of Pensions whether the average woman promoted to a rank above that of Grade 3 in his Department prior to December, 1921, was junior or senior in length of service to the average Grade 3 clerk who remained in that grade?
§ Major TRYONThe promotion of temporary clerks from one grade to another has been made entirely on grounds of merit and without reference to length of service. I am afraid, therefore, that I cannot without prolonged investigation supply information on the precise point raised by the hon. Member.