CLERICAL GRADES. (Hansard, 21 January 1941)

Mr. W. Joseph Stewart
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the wages, hours of employment, overtime obligations and rates of payment, superannuation and other conditions of the lowest grades of Civil Service clerks, permanent and temporary, respectively?

WAGES, HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT, OVERTIME OBLIGATIONS AND RATES OF PAYMENT, SUPERANNUATION AND OTHER CONDITIONS OF CERTAIN GENERAL CIVIL SERVICE CLERICAL GRADES.

PERMANENT (ESTABLISHED) STAFF. TEMPORARY STAFF.

Clerical Assistants Grade I (Women only) Temporary Clerks Grade III.

Men. Women.

Rates of Pay. (London^*) exclusive of war bonus†. Ages 16–20, 28/- to 42/- per week according to age. Then by annual increments to a maximum of 72/- per week Ages 15–24 17/6 to 58/6 p.w. according to age. 17/6 to 47/6 p.w. according to age.

Ages 25 and over. 62/- 50/-

S Class Clerks Temporary Clerks Grade II.

(Men only). Men. Women.

65/- by annual increments to 86/- per week. Ages 25 and over 70/- p.w. 56/- p.w.

Clerical Officers Temporary Clerks Grade I.

(Men and Women). Men. Women.

£85 per annum on entry. £105 per annum at age 18. Then by annual increments to £350 p.a. (men) and £280 p.a. (women), subject to efficiency. 77/6 p.w. 62/- p.w.

Hours of Attendance. London Headquarters and other Metropolitan Offices: 42 hours weekly, 44 hours elsewhere. 44 hours weekly (39 hours for staff under 17).

Overtime Obligations and rates of payment. Civil Servants may be called upon to work such overtime as the state of business requires. Payment is at time and a quarter rate for hours over 42 or 44, as the case may be, and up to 54 hours; time and a half rate for hours between 54 and 60, and double time thereafter. Obligations as for permanent staff.

Payment is at time and a quarter rate for hours in excess of 44 (except for staff under 17 years of age, for whom there are special arrangements).

Superannuation. Established staff retired for age or infirmity after ten years' service are eligible for pension. Temporary whole-time staff are eligible for gratuity after seven years' service if removed on abolition of their employment, or after fifteen years' service if retired for infirmity.

Sick Leave. Established Civil Servants may be allowed sick leave on full pay for a period not exceeding six months in the aggregate during any period of twelve months and thereafter sick leave on half pay, subject to a maximum of twelve months sick leave in any period of four years or less. After a qualifying period of six months Temporary Clerks over 18 years of age may be allowed sick leave on full pay up to a maximum period of ten weeks in any period of twelve months, subject to deductions on account of National Health Insurance benefits where appropriate. For clerks aged 16½ to 18 the period is 8 weeks, and for those under 16½, 6 weeks.

Annual Leave. Clerical Assistants Grade I. Temporary Clerks.

18 days (21 after 5 years). 18 years and over … 18 days.

Under 18 … 12 days.

S Class Clerks. 21 days.

Clerical Officers. 24 days.

^* Rates outside London both for permanent and temporary staff are lower than those shown above.

† All members of these grades, whether permanent or temporary whose rate of pay (London) does not exceed 100/- per week receive in addition the appropriate war bonus under the Civil Service War Bonus Agreement.

38W

§ Captain Crookshank
I append a tabular statement giving the information asked for. As there is no precise comparison between permanent and temporary grades, it would be misleading to give only the lowest rate payable in each case, and a wider range has therefore been covered in the answer.
Following is the statement:
39W

§ Mr. Ritson
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether any Departments are below their authorised establishment of permanent and temporary clerical, shorthand-typist and typist staff because of difficulties of recruitment?

§ Captain Crookshank
Recruitment to permanent posts in the grades in question is suspended during the war. There is some difficulty in recruiting temporary staff in London at the present time, particularly in the typist grades, and there are vacancies in certain Departments. I understand, however, that there is a general shortage of typing staff in London. Recruitment difficulties in Government Departments are being dealt with by a number of expedients including some increase in the rates payable to the more competent junior staff and provision for training those not fully qualified at the time of application.

WAGES, HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT, OVERTIME OBLIGATIONS AND RATES OF PAYMENT, SUPERANNUATION AND OTHER CONDITIONS OF CERTAIN GENERAL CIVIL SERVICE CLERICAL GRADES.
PERMANENT (ESTABLISHED) STAFF.	TEMPORARY STAFF.
	Clerical Assistants Grade I (Women only)	Temporary Clerks Grade III.
			Men.	Women.
Rates of Pay. (London^*) exclusive of war bonus†.	Ages 16–20, 28/- to 42/- per week according to age. Then by annual increments to a maximum of 72/- per week	Ages 15–24	17/6 to 58/6 p.w. according to age.	17/6 to 47/6 p.w. according to age.
		Ages 25 and over.	62/-	50/-
	S Class Clerks	Temporary Clerks Grade II.
	(Men only).		Men.	Women.
	65/- by annual increments to 86/- per week.	Ages 25 and over	70/- p.w.	56/- p.w.
	Clerical Officers	Temporary Clerks Grade I.
	(Men and Women).		Men.	Women.
	£85 per annum on entry. £105 per annum at age 18. Then by annual increments to £350 p.a. (men) and £280 p.a. (women), subject to efficiency.		77/6 p.w.	62/- p.w.
Hours of Attendance.	London Headquarters and other Metropolitan Offices: 42 hours weekly, 44 hours elsewhere.	44 hours weekly (39 hours for staff under 17).
Overtime Obligations and rates of payment.	Civil Servants may be called upon to work such overtime as the state of business requires. Payment is at time and a quarter rate for hours over 42 or 44, as the case may be, and up to 54 hours; time and a half rate for hours between 54 and 60, and double time thereafter.	Obligations as for permanent staff.
	Payment is at time and a quarter rate for hours in excess of 44 (except for staff under 17 years of age, for whom there are special arrangements).
Superannuation.	Established staff retired for age or infirmity after ten years' service are eligible for pension.	Temporary whole-time staff are eligible for gratuity after seven years' service if removed on abolition of their employment, or after fifteen years' service if retired for infirmity.
Sick Leave.	Established Civil Servants may be allowed sick leave on full pay for a period not exceeding six months in the aggregate during any period of twelve months and thereafter sick leave on half pay, subject to a maximum of twelve months sick leave in any period of four years or less.	After a qualifying period of six months Temporary Clerks over 18 years of age may be allowed sick leave on full pay up to a maximum period of ten weeks in any period of twelve months, subject to deductions on account of National Health Insurance benefits where appropriate. For clerks aged 16½ to 18 the period is 8 weeks, and for those under 16½, 6 weeks.
Annual Leave.	Clerical Assistants Grade I.	Temporary Clerks.
	18 days (21 after 5 years).	18 years and over	…	18 days.
		Under 18	…	12 days.
	S Class Clerks. 21 days.
	Clerical Officers. 24 days.
^* Rates outside London both for permanent and temporary staff are lower than those shown above.
† All members of these grades, whether permanent or temporary whose rate of pay (London) does not exceed 100/- per week receive in addition the appropriate war bonus under the Civil Service War Bonus Agreement.