§ MR. D. SULLIVAN (Westmeath, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether, on the introduction, by Order in Council of August, 1890, of the seven-hour working day into the Departments of State, any opportunity of retirement was afforded to such Civil servants as might, object to the extra hour's daily attendance thereby required; whether the Treasury will now give 390 facilities for retirement to such Civil servants: whether the terms of retirement will have regard to the equitable claims of those who, in consequence of the change, desire to determine their employment; and whether, in cases where Departmental reorganisation would be facilitated, or no additional burden imposed on the taxpayer, abolition terms will be conceded?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Sir J. T. HIBBERT,) OldhamThe Treasury holds, with the Royal Commission on Civil Establishments, that, as there is no contract between the State and the Civil servant limiting the hours he shall be called upon to attend, any Civil servant who is required by the head of his Department to attend seven hours instead of six has no option but to obey. The Treasury has no power under the Superannuation Acts to pension persons who might wish to retire in preference to serving seven hours, unless their retirement would be otherwise permissible under those Acts. Lastly, the Treasury considers itself bound, after the declaration of the Royal Commission against abolition terms, to refuse all additions of years which may be proposed on the ground of re-organisation of office.