asked the Postmaster-General what is the total number of Post Office employés, full-time and part-time; and what number of adult male employés and adult female employees, respectively, are in receipt of pay of £2 10s. a week or less, between £2 10s. and £3, £3 and £4, £4 and £5, and over £5 a week?

The total number of Post Office employés, full-time and part-time, exclusive of sub-postmasters and caretaker operators, on 1st April, 1939, the latest date for which the further particulars asked for by the hon. Member are available, was approximately 259,000. This number includes about 21,800 part-timeemployés (16,900 males and 4,900 females) practically all of whom were in receipt of less than 50s. a week. The estimated numbers of adult full-time employés whose wages, exclusive of overtime and Sunday pay, fell within the specified ranges are set out below:

Wage ranges.	Men.	Women.
Under £2 10s. a week	9,800	7,600
£2 10s. and under £3 a week	33,400	9,400
£3and under £4 a week	81,600	12,000
£4and under £5 a week	23,700	3,000
£5 a week and over	21,800	2,200

The vast majority of these officers are on scales of pay and rise by annual increments to prescribed maxima. Most of those included in the first category above (under £2 10s. a week) are persons who by reason of short service or relatively low age have not yet earned a sufficient number of increments to bring their pay above £2 10s. a week.