§ MR. ROUNDasked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether he will reconsider the question of granting special terms of retirement to clerks in the Customs in the case of those clerks in the warehousing departments who were made "redundant" three years ago, by the merely partial application of the "Playfair" scheme of re-organization, and who, having been prejudicially affected by the subsequent suppression, of the vacancies that have arisen on the upper division, are now, after a period of service of little less than twenty years, excluded even from the full benefit of the Treasury Regulations, made under the powers of Section 7 of "The Superannuation Act, 1859," whereby a term of service of ten years extra to that actually performed is taken into calculation in computing pensions on the abolition of office?
§ LORD FREDERICK CAVENDISHSir, the Playfair scheme was not, as the hon. Member seems to suppose, merely partially introduced into the Customs Departments at the last re-organization. The whole permanent clerical establishment was divided into an upper and a lower division, certain superfluous clerks of the old staff being continued in lieu of lower division clerks. Such loss as these redundant clerks may have sustained by the change was fully compensated by the improved salary and prospects which they received. Should any of these clerks be retired on abolition terms they will receive pensions calculated on the terms provided by the Treasury Regulations made under the pro- 1283 visions of Section 7 of the Superannuation Act of 1859, whereby, if the service has been less than five years, one year is added; if five years and less than 10, three years are added; if 10 years and less than 15, five years are added; if 15 years and less than 20, seven years are added; while 10 years are only added if the service has amounted to at least 20 years. I see no reason for departing from this scale in the case of the Customs redundant clerks.