asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if it is contemplated to reduce or dismiss the members of the higher grades engineering staff of the Post Office in view of the recent dismissals of the lower-paid workers.

An appropriate number of temporary supervising posts have been ceased as the result of the termination of the services of the extra workmen taken on in connection with Telephone Development, the initial large stage of which has now been completed.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the question does not relate to the supervisors, but to the higher grade of the engineering staff? Will he please answer in that connection?

There are various grades of engineering staff. It is quite obvious that the services of the member of the higher administrative grades cannot be dispensed with when a comparatively small number of workmen, skilled and unskilled, leave.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary prepared to state that the higher grades to which he referred are employed full-time at present-that they are being occupied to full capacity?

They are civil servants and, of course, they are fully employed.