§ MR. J. W. LOGAN (Leicester, Harborough)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether, since 1891, appointments have been made to permanent clerkships in the Civil Service by selection from the body of men copyists, at an annual increase of salary of £2 10s. extending over the whole period of their service as permanent officers, until a maximum of £150 is reached; whether similar appointments have been made recently by selection from the body of boy copyists and clerks, who became entitled to annual increments of £2 10s. for six years, and after that time of £5 per annum; and whether he can inform the House of the reasons for this difference of treatment as between men and boys?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY,) PrestonRegistered men copyists have, until recently, been appointed to the Class of Abstractors on a scale commencing at their average earnings as copyists—(say) £91 per annum (viz., 10d. per hour)—and rising by £2 10s. a year to £150. The class of men copyists qualified for these appointments is now practically exhausted. In future the Abstractor Class will be recruited by competition among boy copyists and clerks, who, on promotion, will be paid on a scale of £55 per annum, rising by £2 10s. a year to £70, and thence by £5 to £100. They have also a prospect of promotion to a limited class rising by £5 a year to £150. The increased rate of increment after seven years to the new class is given in consideration of the much lower commencing salary—viz., £55 as against £91.