§ MR. SEAGER HUNT (Marylebone, W.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty what number of Lower (now Second) Division clerks in the Admiralty have been promoted to the Upper Division, and what number have received staff appointments since 1876; what percentage such promotions bear to the number of Second Division clerks in the Admiralty; and whether he will make such arrangements as will permit of better effect being given in the Admiralty to the Orders in Council of the 12th of February, 1876, and 21st of March, 1890, and to Treasury Minutes of the 19th of June, 1884, and 16th of August, 1889, wherein promotion to the Higher Division and to staff appointments is one of the conditions under which Second 1761 Division clerks were induced to enter the Service?
§ LORD G. HAMILTONOne Second Division clerk has been promoted to the Higher Division, and four have received staff appointments. The number of Second Division clerks in the Admiralty averages 200, and the percentage of such promotions would, therefore, be 2½. The Admiralty can only create staff appointments for the Second Division when the interests of the Service demand such a course; and, in face of the fact that the Admiralty is already overstocked with Higher Division clerks, who will be gradually reduced, I cannot undertake that all vacancies in that grade will be filled up.