§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will undertake a survey of all offices and agencies for which he has responsibility to 379W ascertain to what extent staff supplying a service to the public are curtailing their work on a Friday afternoon earlier than other days of the week; and if he will make a statement on his policy on hours of staff working each week.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeStaff work the number of hours specified in their conditions of service, but there is flexibility on how that is achieved. Where there is a direct service to the public—for example, in passport offices or in the public inquiry office of the immigration and nationality department—public counters and telephone bureaux are manned for the advertised hours. If my hon. Friend has encountered a specific problem, I should be glad to have details.