§ MR. D. SULLIVAN (Westmeath, S.)asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether, for some time past, promotion in the Inland Revenue Department has been practically suspended, owing to the retention in the Service of a number of aged collectors, inspectors, and supervisors, and that, as a consequence, the official prospects of the junior officers are materially injured; and whether, as a remedy, and to cause that flow of promotion held out to candidates as an inducement to enter the Department, the Commissioners of Inland Revenue will call upon all officers of upwards of 40 years' service to retire on superannuation?
§ THE: CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN) (St. George's, Hanover Square), in reply, said, that promotion in the Inland Revenue Department had not been suspended owing to the cause suggested in the Question. There were men who had served 40 years in the Department; but they could not be retired before they reached the age of 60, and they had not reached that age, and were still very efficient public servants. Promotion was now slack, in consequence of the abnormal promotion that occurred some time ago. In answer to the second paragraph of the hon. Member's Question, it would be sufficient to say that at the present moment there was nothing about which the House of Commons was more sensitive than the retirement of public officers on superannuation before the 579 expiration of the ordinary term of service.