§ Mr. W. BAKERasked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the retiring room accommodation provided for the staff in the new building at the Birmingham head post office is quite inadequate and most unhealthily congested; that the official meal-times do not permit of an increased use being made of the retiring room in the old building; that the staff proposal to use the flat roof to supplement the retiring room accommodation has been refused; that members of the staff are compelled to work under depressing atmospheric conditions in a basement and in artificial light for almost the whole of the day; and whether, in view of the benefit to the health of the staff and the greater efficiency of work which would result, he will consider having the roof prepared for use in the manner suggested?
§ Viscount WOLMERThe staff at the Birmingham head post office have a spacious and well-equipped dining room and sufficient time is allowed for taking1752W meals there. In addition, there are four retiring rooms, in two of which facilities are provided for the cooking of meals. All the rooms are well ventilated, but congestion occurs in one of the retiring rooms (used mainly as a smoking room) because little use is made of another equally suitable room (also used as a smoking room) which is 80 yards further from the dining room. The room referred to as a basement is presumably the parcel sorting office, which is at ground floor level at the rear. There is natural light by window, roof and pavement lights, and the ventilation and atmospheric conditions are considered to be healthy. Means of access and protective measures against accidents would be necessary to enable the roof to be used for the purpose in question, and in present circumstances I do not feel justified in incurring the considerable expense that would thereby be involved.