§ COLONEL DALBIAC (Camberwell, N.)I beg to ask the President of the Hoard of Trade how many temporary clerical assistants are employed in the Labour Department of the Board of Trade; and whether the Deputy Controller has informed them that they are eligible for promotion to the establishment under the Order in Council of 29th November 1898; whether there are in the Department several abstractors or assistant clerks who were appointed long before these temporary clerical assistants, and who have had considerable experience in the Department; and whether it is proposed to promote these temporary assistant clerks, who have passed no examination, to vacancies in the Established Civil Service, in preference to men, who have longer service and greater experience?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADEThere are at present 16 temporary clerks employed in the Labour Department of the Board of Trade not including officers appointed for special expert qualifications, and it is proposed to place some of these clerks on the permanent establishment. Abstractors and assistant clerks are already in the Established Civil Service, and their scale 1116 of salary is identical with that which will be received by such of the temporary clerks as may be accepted for established positions by the Civil Service Commissioners. No such statement as that referred to in the Question has been made by the Deputy Controller, nor does it correctly represent the facts.