§ MR. COBB (Warwick, S.E., Rugby)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury when the last competitive examination was held for admission to Class I. of the Home Civil Service; how many vacancies in the Home Civil Service were filled up by open competitive examination during the years 1880 to 1886, inclusive, and how many candidates submitted themselves for examination; whether he can state about the percentage of those in the Civil Service who are entitled to retire upon pensions, but who continue to draw full salaries, without doing the full work; whether, since the discontinuance of these examinations, Treasury clerks have been selected for lucrative appointments in other offices, so that there has been unusual rapidity of promotion at the Treasury, and a block of promotion at other offices, and that clerks have been transferred from one office to another in which the work is totally different; can he state in approximately how many cases, public servants who obtained their appointments by competitive examination have had "selected" men from other offices, who have not been examined, put over their heads; whether he is aware that many parents with small incomes have spent substantial amounts upon a special education, with a view to their children entering for the competitive examination, and that in many cases, in consequence of a system of patronage being substituted for examination, they have been obliged, at a critical time of life, to change their plans; and whether it is intended to return to the system of open competitive examinations; and, if so, when?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHThe question of the hon. Gentleman having only been put down last night did not come to my knowledge until this morning, and I am unable to give all the details for which he asks. The last open competition for Class I. of the Upper Division was held in December, 1886. During the time that the present Government have been in office they have been reducing the number of the higher and more largely-paid Establishments, and they have been able to supply vacancies by transfer thereto of redundant clerks, and in this way several vacancies at the Treasury, among other offices, have been filled up. This reduction of the Higher Establishment is fully endorsed by the Royal Commission on Civil Establishments. We are not, therefore, able to agree with the hon. Member, who would urge us to hold competitive examinations for posts that are not required in order to provide for youths who would, no doubt, for sufficient reason, prefer the Public Service to open professions, and it is not our intention to hold open competitive examinations for Class I. as long as it is practicable to fill vacancies by transfers. As far as I am aware, three appointments have been made from the Treasury to Staff posts. In the filling of such posts we are responsible, and are ready, when necessary, to explain our acts.