§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether he will consider the advisability of amending the Treasury Minute of December last, relating to Civil Service Copyists, so far as to enable "registered service" to count in lieu of "actual service" for bonus, and also for gratuity on retirement, and service on the Census of 1881 to be reckoned in favour of writers whose names were retained on the Register during the period of such service; and, whether he will extend the £7 a-year retiring gratuity to any period of service without limit, and allow parts of years to be proportionately paid for, as in the case of pensions to members of the permanent service of the Crown?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN) (St. George's, Hanover Square)Copyists are only employed as required. When there is no employment for them in a Government Office they frequently obtain employment elsewhere; but their names are retained on the Register of the Civil Service Commissioners. The Government cannot allow time during which no service is rendered to the Government to count for pension or gratuity. No application that service on the Census of 1881 may count in favour of copyists who were retained on the Register of the Civil Service Commissioners during the period of such service has been before me. I do not know, therefore, the circumstances of the case, and I am unable to express an opinion with respect to it. I am not prepared to grant gratuities without limit. The Treasury, in fixing a limit, follows the lines of the Rules applied to the whole Departmental writers. It is not the case that the Superannuation Acts allow broken parts of years to count for pension.