§ Mr. OLIVERasked the Minister of Labour whether clerks employed in branch offices of the Employment Exchanges are employed by branch managers or by the Ministry of Labour; whether he is aware that in the case of branch offices the number of claims dealt with per clerk and the hours worked are higher than those obtaining in the Exchange offices; and, in view of other conditions of service being inferior in respect of the former class of clerk, will he take steps to level up this disparity where the duties are comparable?
§ Mr. BETTERTONEach manager of the 744 branch employment offices employed by the Ministry of Labour is required to provide an office and to arrange for the performance of the duties of his post. The duties are discharged either by the branch manager personally or by persons employed by him for the purpose, and the only stipulation by the Ministry is that the remuneration and conditions of service of persons employed shall be the usual conditions and terms of employment followed by good employers in the district. The hon. Member will accordingly realise that, beyond the general stipulation, it is not possible for the Ministry of Labour to lay down conditions of employment which must vary with the circumstances of the particular case.