§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, What steps have been taken to transfer eligible clerks, redundant in one Department, to fill up vacancies in the Upper Division elsewhere; whether the statement which has appeared in certain newspapers, that the Treasury propose to transfer eligible redundant Customs clerks, not over thirty-five years of age, is correct; whether all the Customs redundant clerks, with a single exception, are not already over that age; and, whether, if there is good and sufficient evidence that there are several redundant clerks over thirty-five years of age on the establishment of the Customs and Inland Revenue Departments, who are eligible for transfer, the Treasury will offer to them Upper Division vacancies in other Departments?
§ MR. HIBBERTMy right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this Question; but I am afraid I can add but little to the statements on the subject of it made by him on the 7th of November and the 12th of March last. The Trea- 1501 sury would be glad to see the number of redundant clerks reduced, and lose no opportunity of suggesting transfers where there is any possibility of their being practicable and advantageous. But there is no power to compel a Department to fill up a vacancy by means of a transfer; and the objections to such a course are obvious and strong, especially where the redundants are above 35 years of age, as is the case with all those at the Customs except one.