MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether appeals have from time to time reached the Board of Inland Revenue and Treasury on behalf of the officers of the Inland Revenue, asking for redress-for certain alleged grievances, and complaining of class distinctions in the same grade and among officers performing the same or similar duties, and alleging that such distinctions prevent the great body of officers reaching the maximum salary of their grade, and also complaining of the withdrawal of remuneration for the collection of agricultural statistics in England and Scotland, and of certain differences in salary by which certain first class officers get from £10 to £40 per annum more than expectant superior officers who hold higher rank; and whether he will cause these complaints to be inquired into?
§ MR. GOSCHENAppeals have been made from time to time by officers of the Inland Revenue with reference to alleged grievances; but I must remind the hon. Member that it is only a year and a half ago since the Treasury examined these grievances in conjunction with the Board of Inland Revenue, and dealt in a broad manner with most of the points which might be proved to give real ground for complaint or to show justification for increased remuneration. But other claims of the officers they were not prepared to meet; for instance, the claim that classification should be abolished and that practically an officer should be advanced from step to step without selection or examination, simply by seniority. I have several times answered the question referring to the alleged withdrawal of remuneration for the collection of agricultural statistics. In 1890, when the changes which I have mentioned were made in the service, one of the objects was so to readjust salaries as to compensate the officers employed in the collection of agricultural statistics for the withdrawal of the special remuneration for that work. In 1891, it was found that in certain cases the arrangements made would work to the detri- 1129 ment of a few officers, and further changes were made to insure that no officer should receive less remuneration than he was receiving before. With reference to some minor complaints, I am at this moment engaged in carefully examining them.