§ MR. MORGAN HOWARD (Camberwell, Dulwich)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, whether any writers have yet been promoted to Lower Division clerkships under the Treasury Minute of December last; and, whether he is aware that many permanent Heads of Departments are in doubt as to the mode of procedure to be adopted before recommending deserving writers for promotion; and, if so, whether it is the intention of the Treasury to issue specific instructions on the matter at an early date?
§ THE SECRETARY (Mr. JACKSON) (Leeds, N.)No copyists have yet been promoted to Lower Division clerkships, nor can any such promotion take place until careful inquiry has been made into each case. I ought to add that in view of the necessity for economy—which I am sure is appreciated no less by the House of Commons than it is by Her Majesty's Government—the Treasury would hardly feel justified in increasing the total number of Lower Division clerkships; and I have reason to believe that in some Departments it would be possible to reduce the number of the staff without impairing the efficiency or 471 promptness of the work. With reference; to the second paragraph of the Question, my answer would be in the negative.