§ MR. HOWELL (Bethnal Green, N.E.)asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether he is aware that there is often a delay of several weeks between the 737 application of Civil Service writers for their bonuses and the issue of the Civil Service Commissioners' draft upon the Paymaster General for payment; whether such delay is at all necessary; and, whether the Treasury will direct that steps be taken to expedite the payment of Civil Service writers' bonuses as they become due, under the provisions of the Treasury Minute of December, 1886, so as to prevent any unnecessary delay in future?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN) (St. George's, Hanover Square)Bonuses are paid to Civil Service writers in respect of satisfactory service during a previous half-year on two days in each month; and inquiries are sent out three days before the completion of the half-year to each Department, to ascertain whether the work of the copyist has been satisfactory, and as soon as a favourable answer is received the claim of the copyist is entered for payment on the next bimonthly pay day. Under this arrangement the longest delay that can possibly arise in the payment of a claim is 14 or 15 days. Sometimes, however, applications are made before the half-year is ended, and such applicants may have to wait a longer time. In a few cases— which will not recur—there has been considerable delay while a question which had arisen was under the consideration of the Treasury; but of 514 payments which have been made this year, 320 were made within a week of the Departmental Report, and all but 14 within a fortnight.