§ MR. LAWSON (St. Pancras, W.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that in his statement last year he gave ah assurance that in consideration of the prospects held out by the Official Receiver to the clerks engaged in the Bankruptcy Department of the High Court, he Would deal with the Conditions of their service in the recess, any change has been made in the position of the clerical Staff Within the patronage of the several Official Receivers; and Why the clerks, who have proved themselves competent, should not be brought into the regular Civil Service; and whether it is the intention of the Solicitor to the Board of Trade to transact the whole of the business connected with the department of the Official Receiver; and, if so, whether the existing I staff is sufficient for the purpose?
*SIR M. HICKS BEAOHThe question of the organisation of the staff engaged in the Bankruptey Department of the High Court was considered by a Departmental Committee upon the recent retirement of Sir-Robert Harding, and in accordance with their recommendation certain members of the existing staff were added to the permanent establishment by their appointment as Assistant Receivers, but it was not deemed desirable to make any general alteration in the terms of service of the personal staff of the Official Receivers In accordance with the recommendations of the Committee, the Solicitor to the Board of Trade has taken over and now performs, the duties of the Official Solicitor in Bankruptcy, whose Staff is available for the purpose.