§ Mr. Joplingasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will list the towns in England and Wales where his offices were shut on New Year's Day; which of them have begun a practice of closing on New Year's Day during the last four years; and which offices had a third day's holiday during Christmas week.
§ Mr. GreenwoodIn the Ministry's Newcastle-upon-Tyne Regional Office all staff were, in accordance with practice since at least 1963, authorised to take their day's "privilege" holiday on 1st January and the office was closed on that day.
The rest of the staff took their "privilege" holiday during Christmas week. All those in the Location of Offices 259W Bureau and the Countryside Commission in London, and in the Water Resources Board in Reading, were authorised to take their privilege day on the 27th December and these three offices were closed or. that day. All other offices were open except on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.