§ SIR FREDERICK DIXON-HARTLAND (Middlesex, Uxbridge)I beg-to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will favourably consider the case of those Civil Service writers who have, or would have, been recommended by heads of Departments for promotion to the class of abstractors, but who are debarred from such promotion on account of their being over 50 years of ago; and whether, having regard to the circumstance that many of these writers exceed the age limit laid down by reason of their long service, he can recommend that they should receive an improvement in the yearly bonus of 30s., some improvement in the conditions of leave and sick leave, and an extension of the retiring gratuity?
§ *THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Sir J. T. HIBBERT,) OldhamThe question whether the rule debarring copyists over 50 years of age from appointment as abstractors should be absolute is now under consideration by the Treasury and the Civil Service Commissioners. The second paragraph of the hon. Baronet's question asks me to re-open the settlement of the position of temporary copyists made by the Treasury Minute of December, 1886, notwithstanding that the most recent expression of competent opinion, that of the Royal Commission on Civil Establishments, contained no suggestion of the kind, but was to the effect that they could not report that the copyists had established any grievance which it was the duty of the State to remedy. I have myself heard the representatives of the copyists; but in view of the fact that 334 of their number have already been, or are being, appointed 204 to permanent posts, and that this process is still going on, while there remain only 468 copyists on the register, I cannot consider that there is sufficient reason for setting aside the opinion of the Royal Commission, and making further concessions to the general body of copyists.