§ Miss JEWSONasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many writing-assistant vacancies were proposed in the reorganisation scheme for the Inland Revenue in the offices of inspectors of taxes; whether any of these posts have been temporarily filled by temporary women clerks; and who will perform the work appropriate to these vacancies if the temporary women clerks are all discharged on the 31st March?
Mr. GRAHAMThe number of writing assistants employed in offices of inspectors of taxes is 243. The total number that will be required under the reorganisation scheme is undetermined pending the result of an inquiry into the volume of work in each office which may be appropriate to the writing-assistant grade. In the meantime the work in question is performed by temporary ex-service male clerks. None of the non-service temporary women clerks who will be discharged on the 31st March is engaged on writing-assistants' work.
Duchess of ATHOLLasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that excessive overtime is being worked in the taxes department of the Board of Inland Revenue; that a number of districts are in arrears with their work, and that temporary male clerks have been engaged while, and since, notice has been given to a number of temporary women clerks who have been in the employment of the department for a considerable 1616W period; and whether, in view of the pressure of work in this department, he will consider continuing the services of these women clerks in a temporary capacity?
Mr. GRAHAMThe volume of work in the offices of inspectors of taxes arising out of the re-assessment of property carried out in the past year has sensibly diminished with the result that in most districts arrears of work have been over taken, the necessity for continuous overtime no longer exists, and a number of clerks have become redundant. In dealing with this redundancy regard has been paid to the considerations stated in my reply of the 21st February to the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mr. T. Harvey). I am sending the Noble Lady a copy of that reply.