§ Mr. W. BROWNasked the Postmaster-General if he will state in detail the changes of process in the Post Office Savings Bank during the past three years which have resulted in reducing the work performed by men and transferring it in whole or in part to women; and the annual savings in wages arising from such changes?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHDuring the last three years the following changes of process in the Post Office Savings Bank have resulted in reducing the work performed by men and transferring it in whole or in part to women: The fuller use of casting machines: the transfer of routine work from male clerical officers to writing assistants and typists; the transfer of the work of correspondence distribution from male clerical officers to female clerical officers and sorting assistants; the transfer of work from paper-keepers to sorting assistants. The annual saving in wages arising from the changes is estimated at £12,900.
§ Mr. W. BROWNasked the Postmaster-General how many male clerical officers have been dispensed with in the Post Office Savings Bank since May, 1929; how many of these men have been displaced by women writing assistants at considerably lower rates of pay: and how many of the men were dispensed with following alterations in methods which enabled certain work previously performed by men to be carried out, with or without change of procedure, by women?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHThe staff of male clerical officers in the Savings Bank has been reduced by 145 since May, 1929, either by transfer or by normal wastage. Of these 62 have been replaced by female writing assistants. In addition, 43 men have been displaced owing to alterations 671W in methods which have enabled the work previously performed by them to be carried out by women of various grades.