§ Mr. McENTEEasked the Minister of Labour whether he will reconsider his decision only to grant permanency to 2,000 temporary clerks in his Department and to leave about 10,000 still employed upon a temporary basis, in view of the fact that there is no prospect of such early diminution in the volume of unemployment as to render improbable the need for retaining about four-fifths of these staffs.
§ Sir HENRY BETTERTON:The number of temporary clerks to be granted permanency is in accordance with the provisions of the recent Report of the Temporary Staffs Committee, consisting of official and staff representatives, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. The report is applicable to all Departments and I am unable to go beyond its provisions.
§ Mr. BANFIELDasked the Minister of Labour whether, seeing that representations have been made to his Department on various occasions since 1928 regarding the inadequacy of the unemployment figure of four per cent. as a basis for staffing arrangements, why so long a period has been required for the consideration of such representations; and when his conclusions may be expected.
§ Sir HENRY BETTERTON:The staff of the Employment Exchange service, permanent and temporary, corresponds to the requirements of the present figure of unemployment; and the permanent staff alone corresponds to a figure considerably higher than four per cent. Such representations as have been made have been dealt with by a statement of these facts.