CAPTAIN-NORTON (Newington, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Board of Admiralty have yet decided upon the expediency of carrying out the recommendation of the Royal Commission, and the Treasury Minute of the 10th of August, 1889, by establishing staff appointments in various departments of the Admiralty, to which eligible Second Division clerks may be promoted? At the same time, may I ask the hon. Gentleman whether the vacancies which have recently occurred in the Higher Division staff of the Admiralty, and those which will shortly occur owing to retirements, will be filled up; and, if so, whether the qualifications of all eligible clerks of the Second Division will be considered with a view to the selection for promotion to the Higher Division of the required number to fill these vacancies?
§ THE CIVIL LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. E. ROBERTSON, Dundee) (who replied)said: I would beg to refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given to his question on the 1st of March last, with regard to the clerical establishment of the Admiralty. Both the matters raised in his present questions are included in the general settlement of the staff, which is now engaging the attention of the Admiralty; and when the Committee of the Accountant General's Department has formulated a Report the whole subject will be settled by the Admiralty and the Treasury, and the hon. Member may rest assured that every regard will be shown to the interests of the Second Division clerks.