§ MR. SINCLAIR AYTOUNsaid, he would beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury. Whether he would have any objection to lay upon the Table of the House, before the Motion of the hon. Member for Brighton is debated, Copies of any Treasury Minute that may have been passed on the subject of first appointments to the subordinate offices in the Public Service by unrestricted competition, and of any Correspondence that may have taken place thereon between the Treasury and the Heads of the other Departments?
MR. GLADSTONEIt is quite true, Sir, that the Government are bestowing attention upon this subject, with a view to redeem the pledge given to the House 530 of Commons in the course of the last Session; there has been a Minute of the Treasury circulated on the subject, and certain replies to that Minute have been received; but the Correspondence is incomplete, and I am not sure that the whole of it will be official. All I can say is, that we will give the House the best information in our power when the Correspondence is in a condition to be produced, so as to enable hon. Members to approach the subject with every possible advantage.