§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORasked the Vice President of the Council, Whether it is a fact that a "Senior Examiner" in the Education Office has been absent on full-pay sick leave for more than 12 months (£800); whether, during the entire absence, this officer has been receiving an extra "acting" personal allowance (£100); and, if he will state how much money the same officer has received for work done during the period referred to in the Wreck Court and elsewhere?
§ MR. MUNDELLASir, the gentleman referred to in the hon. Member's Question, after a service of nearly 35 years, was disabled by illness, and had six months' sick leave allowed him, no failure of health having, during the whole 228 of that time, ever interfered with his attendance at the office. At the end of his sick leave he returned to his work in the Department, when his health again broke down; and as, during the whole of his long official career, he had been a most valuable and efficient public servant, charged with important and onerous duties, another absence of six months on sick leave was granted to him. He received full pay during his absence, including an allowance of £100 granted to him by the Treasury, "as strictly personal to himself." I understand that, at the close of his first absence of sick leave, he was employed for three and a-half days as an assessor in the Wreck Court, for which he received a payment of 35 guineas. The hon. Member is probably aware that he was specially qualified for the employment, as he was a distinguished mathematician, a Fellow of the Royal Society, and formerly Principal of the Government School of Naval Architecture. I regret to say that he has now retired from the service.
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORwished to know whether the consent of the Treasury had been obtained for this arrangement?
§ MR. MUNDELLAI would rather have Notice of that Question, and answer it to-morrow; but I believe that whatever has been done has been done in the usual course.