§ MR. KIMBER (Wandsworth)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a re-organisation of the Statistical Office of Her Majesty's Customs, on the basis laid down in paragraph 46 of the Treasury Minute of 10th August, 1889, would effect a saving to the country of about £1,500 a year, after providing for superannuations on compensation terms; whether the Board of Customs have recommended the economical re-organisation of the Office on that basis, and especially the granting of compensation terms; and is it the fact that there are now four vacancies in the above Department; if so, how long have they existed, and why have they not been filled up?
§ MR. GOSCHENNo calculation has been made of the cost of re-organising the Statistical Office of Her Majesty's Customs on the basis of the Treasury Minute of August, 1889, for the reason that no re-organisation on that basis has been recommended. The Board of Customs has, however, accepted the Report of a Departmental Committee on the subject, which is now under consideration, but the Board have not recommended the grant of compensation terms. As regards such terms, I must refer the hon. Member to my recent statements that the Government is precluded from granting compensation 1296 terms by the decision of the House of Commons and the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Civil Establishments. It would, however, be possible, with a view to facilitate reductions in the higher establishment generally, to consider applications from heads of Departments to permit retirement on ordinary terms. I am informed, with reference to the last part of the hon. Member's question, that two or three gentlemen have recently retired from the higher establishment of the Statistical Office, but the question of filling up the vacancies must be postponed until the scheme for the total re-organisation of the Office has been settled.