Mr. C. WILSONasked the Postmaster-General how many women officers in the Post Office, paid on the executive scale, are doing higher clerical work; what is the longest period during which any officer has been so employed; what is the minimum of the higher clerical scale; what is the maximum salary received by the officers filling the posts; and when it is intended to pay the arrears of salary due to these people and to appoint them to substantive higher clerical posts?
§ Mr. HARTSHORNThere are 82 women officers in the Post Office employed on higher clerical duties who have been provisionally appointed to the executive grade pending the allocation of the executive and higher clerical posts created on the re-organisation of the clerical establishment. In a few cases these officers have been employed on higher clerical duties since the 1st April, 1921, the earliest date from which such employment could be taken into account for the purpose of fixing the starting pay on appointment to the higher grade. The minimum of the higher clerical scale for women in London is £230 and the maximum salary at present being paid to any of the officers in question is £210. The principles on which the executive and higher clerical posts in the Post Office shall he allocated are still under discussion with the representatives of the staff; and until these are settled it is not practicable to decide which of the women concerned will be appointed to higher clerical posts, or to pay the arrears of salary which will become due.