HC Deb 27 July 1891 vol 356 cc412-3
MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury what is the practice observed in transferring or removing members of the Civil Service from one office to another, or from one force or station to another in the same capacity, under the same Department, and subject to the same Board; if the person so transferred, either at his own instance or from any other cause, at the instance of the particular Board under which he serves, is subjected to any pecuniary loss or loss of seniority by reason of such transfer or removal; whether, when questions of promotion arise in particular forces or stations, the time served in the same capacity in a different port or station from that in connection with which promotions are to be made militates against a person so transferred, in considering his claims for promotion in connection with that force or station to which he may then be attached; and whether seniority and promotion throughout the Civil Service generally depends principally upon the length of service in each particular Department, and not upon the length of time spent in any particular office, force, or station, under the same Board?

*SIR H. MAXWELL

To answer completely the question of the hon. Member would necessitate inquiry in each Department of the Public Service. I can, therefore, only undertake to reply in a general sense and subject to reasonable reserve. In the first place, men transferred in ordinary course are transferred in accordance with the exigencies of the Public Service. Secondly, men transferred on promotion would not lose seniority, and under reasonable conditions would receive an allowance in respect of removal expenses; but the same rule would not apply to men transferred for their own convenience or as a punishment. Thirdly, in the case of a man transferred the time served by him in the same capacity at the port or station which he leaves would not militate against the man so transferred. Fourthly, as a general rule, promotion in the Public Service is hold to depend upon merit.