§ Lieut.-Colonel VAUGHAN-MORGANasked the Postmaster-General the total number of male established clerical 1866W officers employed in the Post Office Savings Bank Department, West Kensington; at what point in the seniority list of that class the first ex-service Lytton entrant appears; whether non-service clerical officers appointed from 1918 and onwards have priority over ex-service Lytton and Southborough officers in matters of annual leave and similar privileges; and whether any consideration in respect of previous employment upon clerical-class duties in a temporary capacity plus military service will be given to the Lytton and Southborough men in the Savings Bank Department when deciding future promotions, in order that these men of mature years and experience may compete on an equal footing, that is, on merit, with the junior non-service clerical officers?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThe number of male established clerical officers in the Savings Bank Department is 802, and the first ex-service Lytton entrant is 369th on the list. It is the normal practice to count an officer's seniority as from the date of his appointment, subject to the condition that officers appointed from the same examination rank among themselves according to their order in the examination. The seniority of the clerical officers to whom my hon. and gallant Friend refers has been arranged on this basis with the Agreement of the Departmental Whitley Council, and I see no reason to depart from it. As regards their prospects of promotion, the qualifications of each officer who le within range of promotion to perform the duties of the higher grade are fully considered when the selections for promotion are made, and in so far as the previous experience of the officers referred to has improved their qualifications for a supervising position the point raised will be met.
§ Mr. BRIANTasked the PoetmasterGeneral (1) how many male clerical officers and female clerical officers, respectively, have been promoted to the higher clerical officer grade in the Savings Bank Department since the 1st January, 1925; how many years' service has the most junior officer in each group; and what steps are being taken to equalise the opportunities of advancement of the two sexes;
(2) what is the number of male clerical officers on the establishment of the 1867W Savings Bank Department; how many superior posts are there earmarked for the male staff to which they are eligible for promotion; what is the number of women clerical officers on the establishment; and what is the number of superior posts earmarked for women to which they are eligible for promotion?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONThere are 842 male clerical officers in the Savings Bank Department and 313 superior posts. On the female side there are 1,451 clerical officers, and 124 higher posts. The numbers of promotions are 17 and 13 respectively; and the established service of the most junior officer in each ease was 15 and 26 years respectively. The male and female establishments are separate, each sex having its own line of advancement; the nature and requirements of the work are different on the two sides of the establishment, and in the circumstances it is not practicable to equalise the opportunities of promotion.