§ MR. MICHAEL AUSTIN (Limerick, S.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether it would be possible to effect a reduction of the existing establishment of Foreign Office clerkships, and to create an equivalent number of staff posts of the Second Division; and whether it has now been decided, as recently recommended by the Treasury, to discontinue appointments outside the Office to the Supplementary Class?
§ SIR E. GREYNo such recommendation has been made by the Treasury. No reduction can be made at present in the existing establishment. But it is under consideration whether, on the occurrence of vacancies in certain posts, they might not be filled by the promotion of Second Division clerks, if any of these possess the necessary qualifications.