HC Deb 30 November 1888 vol 331 cc593-5
SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL (Kirkcaldy, &c.)

asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether the Treasury Minute quoted by the Royal Commissioners on Civil Establishments, as issued under date the 27th of March, 1849, and reiterated on the 6th of April, 1878, as follows:— Officers holding situations which require daily attendance should not be allowed to accept employment as Directors of Companies requiring their personal attendance elsewhere during office hours is understood to be still in force; and, is the Rule modified to this extent—that, pending further consideration of the whole matter, permanent Civil servants who now hold Directorships may attend meetings of Companies during office hours, if they make up for it by working over hours at other times?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN) (St. George's, Hanover Square)

The Minute of the 27th of March, 1849, did not lay down a Rule for the Public Service generally. It expressed the opinion of the Treasury; it was made the Rule in the Treasury Office; and was communicated by the Treasury to other Departments for their information. Other Departments, however, did not at the time think it necessary, and with one or two exceptions have not in the interval thought it necessary to adopt the Rule. The Rule is not, therefore, in force in the Public Service generally; and therefore it has not been modified in favour of certain permanent Civil servants who now hold Directorships. I think it fair to add that, as far as my own experience goes, gathered in more than one Department, there is no necessity for a Rule such as the hon. Member suggests. I have always found that the responsible officers at the Head of the Departments, and many in responsible positions, universally work far beyond the office hours. They often work late in the evening, and till midnight if necessary, and they never thought themselves tied down to work a particular number of hours.

SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL

asked if the Rule was enforced in the Treasury Office?

MR. GOSCHEN

I have said that it was.

SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL

asked, whether, after holding situations of this kind, they were allowed to attend during office hours on condition that they worked extra hours?

MR. GOSCHEN

replied, that he had told the hon. Member that at the Treasury the Rule held, and therefore the point did not arise in their case. But he himself was personally as anxious as the hon. Baronet to restrict for the future the engagements of Civil servants as Directors.

SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL

Does not the Controller General attend meetings of Directors?

MR. GOSCHEN

He is not a Treasury officer, but under the Exchequer; and a previous Chancellor of the Exchequer gave him special leave to hold the Directorship to which the hon. Member has referred.