§ 51. Mr. Onslowasked the Lord President of the Council if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT, a table showing the average hours worked by the different categories of servants of the House, including the police, in each week since the Whitsun recess.
§ Mr. CrossmanFollowing is the table of figures asked for in this Question for the period 5th June to 14th July.
CLERK'S DEPARTMENT Public Bill Office Clerks Office Clerks Week beginning— Hours Hours 5th June … … 48½ 54½ 12th June … … 49½ 54 19th June … … 51½ 58 26th June … … 46¼ 55 3rd July … … 49½ 53¼ 10th July … … 54 54½
Journal Office Clerks Office Clerks Week beginning— Hours Hours 5th June … … 47½ 54½ 12th June … … 46½ 54 19th June … … 49¼ 58 26th June … … 50 55 3rd July … … 49½ 53¼ 10th July … … 54¾ 54½
Committee Office Clerks Office Clerks Week beginning— Hours Hours 5th June … … 51½ 53½ 12th June … … 50½ 53 19th June … … 55 57 26th June … … 56 58 3rd July … … 54 56 10th July … … 61 66½
Table Office Clerks Office Clerks Week beginning— Hours Hours 5th June … … 51 54 12th June … … 50 53 19th June … … 51 57 26th June … … 51 54 3rd July … … 53 52 10th July … … 58 54 It is difficult to work out the exact number of hours which each Clerk at the 8W Table is on duty for each week, but it can be safely assumed that their average hours for the 6 weeks was 55 hours per week.
These calculations have been done in respect only of those Clerks whose hours of work are linked with hours of sitting of the House.
THE LIBRARY Library Clerks Attendants Week beginning— Hours Hours 5th June … … 48 51½ 12th June … … 47½ 51½ 19th June … … 48½ 51½ 26th June … … 51½ 51½ 3rd July … … 49¼ 51½ 10th July … … 54½ 51½ These figures again relate only to Library staff whose hours are linked with the sitting of the House.
HANSARD Reporters Office Clerks Week beginning— Hours Hours 5th June … … 45 50 12th June … … 45 49 19th June … … 44 52 26th June … … 49 54 3rd July … … 44 48 10th July … … 49 53
VOTE OFFICE Deliverer of Votes and Deputy Chief Office Clerk Office Clerks Week beginning— Hours Hours Hours 5th June … 55 44 50½ 12th June … 54½ 52¾ 52¼ 19th June … 59½ 53 52 26th June … 5¾ 50¼ 54 3rd July … 58 51 53¾ 10th July … 64½ 53½ 48½
9W
SERJEANT AT ARMS' DEPARTMENT Attendants Doorkeepers ½ staff ½ staff Week beginning— Hours Hours Hours 5th June … 60½ 43½ 46 12th June … 59½ 44½ 45 19th June … 67 51 45½ 26th June … 60½ 55 43 3rd July … 60* 53 44½ 10th July … 65* 59 53 * During these weeks the Special Galleries have been closed when very late sittings were expected. This has reduced the total hours worked by Doorkeepers in the week in relation to the total hours that the House has sat. In spite of this it has not been possible to avoid some very long spells of duty during the week. For example, during the week commencing 10th July, 3 men had to be on duty from 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 11th, until 7.41 a.m. on Wednesday, 12th, and again from 9.30 a.m. until 10 p.m. on that day. The average hours of the three Serjeants are difficult to work out because the Serjeant and the Deputy Serjeant are on duty three nights a week and when off duty are frequently in their residences, whereas the Assistant Serjeant does two consecutive nights a week; but it can be said that their weekly hours are within an hour or two more or less of the total number of hours that the House sits. During these six weeks the House have averaged 59 hours a week. The average hours on duty by the Serjeant and the Deputy Serjeant are therefore about 60 hours per week and the Assistant Serjeant about 58 hours per week.
POLICE Officers employed inside Palace of Westminster Officers employed on Parliamentary crossings Week beginning— Hours Hours 5th June … 54½ 54½ 12th June … 53¾ 54½ 19th June … 56 57 26th June … 57 54 3rd July … 56½ 55¾ 10th July … 62 61
§ 55. Mr. Onslowasked the Lord President of the Council what proposals he has to improve the terms and conditions of service of the different categories of servants of the House; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CrossmanA number of questions affecting the pay and conditions of various categories of servants of the House are under consideration. As I have said in my reply today to my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, West (Mr. William Hamilton) we have been able to make a substantial improvement in the structure of the Clerk's Department. Formal proposals for improvements in the pay and conditions of the doorkeepers are awaited from the Association which now represents them, and there too I hope we will soon be able to report progress.