§ MR. JENNINGS (Stockport)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether it is the fact that, in pursuance of recent re-organization schemes in the Inland Revenue Department, pensions varying from £200 to X600 a-year, amounting in the aggregate to £12,692 a-year, were granted between December 1, 1886, and November 30, 1887, to 33 persons, several of whom were under the age of 50, and all under 60; whether it is also the case that compensation allowances, amounting annually to £47,767, and superannuation allowances to £177,836, are being paid in connection with the same Department; and, 53 whether any further re-organization in this branch of the Public Service is now under consideration?
§ THE SECRETARY (Mr. JACKSON) (Leeds, N.)A full and complete statement is given on pages 53, 54, and 55 of the Estimates for Revenue Departments of the compensation allowances granted to officers of the Inland Revenue between December 1, 1886, and November 30, 1887, showing the name, office, age, and service of each officer so retired. Eighty-two such allowances were awarded in that period, amounting to £12,697. Only one of the pensions amounted to £600; the rest ranged from £1 5s. per annum upwards, 47 being compensations, generally of small amounts, to distributors of stamps who held office under an arrangement which is now being given up wherever the distributors can be bought out with economy. Excluding the distributors of stamps, the particulars of age are three over 60, 22 between 50 and 60, and 10 under 50, of whom seven were over 47. The other compensations were granted to officers whom it had become unnecessary to retain, owing to the reduction of staff rendered possible by the introduction of the seven hours' system. It is cheaper to pay them the pensions than to retain them on salary when their services were not required. The statements in paragraph 2 are substantially correct; it should, however, be remembered that the whole of the £177,836 has been earned by length of service, and a large part of the £47,767. I am not aware of any further Inland Revenue re-organization in contemplation. I may add that the numbers of the staff have been reduced by 195, and the effective charge by £16,407.