HC Deb 11 May 1874 vol 219 cc70-1
MR. ALEXANDER BROWN

asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, If the Commission about to be appointed to inquire into the organisation of the Civil Service will include within the scope of its inquiries the position and cases of the literary, scientific, and other gentlemen employed at the British Museum, the South Kensington Museum, and similar institutions, or whether its inquiries will be limited, so far as these departments are concerned, to the administrative staffs?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

Sir, the Question is one that I should find it difficult to answer; because so much will naturally depend on the discretion of the parties appointed to deal with the subject. However, as the Commission has caused a great deal of interest, perhaps the House will allow me to read the letter I have addressed to the right hon. Gentleman who has undertaken to preside over it. The letter is as follows:— 11, Downing Street, 27th April, 1874. My dear Mr. Playfair,—The inquiry which the Treasury desire to institute, and upon which you have been so kind as to promise us your assistance, has reference to the following points:—

  1. "1. The method of selecting Civil Servants in the first instance.
  2. "2. The principles upon which men should be transferred from office to office, especially in cases where one establishment has been abolished or reduced in numbers, and where there are consequently redundant employés, whose services should, if possible, be made available in other departments.
  3. "3. The possibility of grading the Civil Service as a whole so as to obviate the inconveniences which result from the differences of pay in different departments.
  4. "4. The system under which it is desirable to employ writers or other persons for the discharge of duties of less importance than those usually assigned to established clerks or duties of a purely temporary character.
I need not enter into any details upon these points beyond placing in your hands the several Orders in Council and other official documents relating to the matter, and referring you to the proceeding's which were held last year before the two Select Committees of the House of Commons, which inquired—the one into the Civil Service expenditure, the other into the alleged grievances of the Civil Service writers. Any further information which you may desire and which we have in our possession shall, of course, be placed at your disposal. I will merely say with reference to the first of the questions which I have mentioned that, while the Government desire as a general prin- ciple to uphold a system of selection according to merit as opposed to selection by the simple exercise of patronage, they are anxious that the Commission should look thoroughly into the action of the present system of competitive examinations, and should give their opinion upon any modifications which they may find it desirable to recommend in it with perfect freedom. An important question will arise out of the division of the service according to what are technically known as Regulations I. and II. respectively, and we hope that the Commission will give us their advice as to the maintenance of that division, both in regard of admissions and of promotions.