§ MR. HEALYasked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether the father of 1265 the officer of Shaftesbury second Ride, Weymouth Collection, who was recently specially promoted over the heads of others in the Inland Revenue, was ever a Collector in that Department; is the father of the officer of Higham Ride, Northampton Collection, who was recently specially promoted over the heads of others, attached to the head office. Somerset House; on what grounds was this officer specially promoted over some 230 others; what are his special merits; could none of the 230 over whom he was placed be found capable of performing the work in which he is now engaged; would he lay a copy of the letter specially recommending him upon the Table of the House; what per-centage of Collectors and Inspectors have specially recommended officers for special promotion within the last twelve months; and, is he aware that the present system of special promotion has given rise to much dissatisfaction in the Service?
§ MR. COURTNEYSir, the Shaftesbury officer referred to in the hon. Member's Question was not specially promoted; but he is the son of a former Collector. The Higham officer, also referred to, is the son of a clerk in one of the subordinate departments at Somerset House; he was specially promoted because specially recommended by his superior officer, and because he was considered, on the best available evidence, more competent than others to do the higher work. The confidential Reports upon which such promotions are founded cannot be published. Five per cent of the Collectors and Inspectors have made special recommendations in the last 12 months. No doubt there is some dissatisfaction in this, as in other cases of promotion by merit, among those who are passed over; but the principle is essential for the Public Service.