§ MR. SCHWANN (Manchester, N.)To ask the Postmaster-General whether he can state the date upon which he intends to publish his scheme dealing with overseers and re-classification of offices; whether, in view of the fast that many hundreds of men and women at the maximum salary of their respective classes throughout the United Kingdom have not received the smallest benefit from the portions of the scheme already published, he will date any promotions from the 1st April, 1903, that being nearly two years from the date of the, promised appointment of the Bradford Committee.
(Answered by Lord Stanley.) I have sanctioned additional overseer ships for London, and step; are being taken to fill the new appointments. I hope in due course to be able to announce my decision as regards the provincial overseers; but I may at o ice say that the creation of additional overseer ships at many of the smaller offices would not be warranted. I do not think there is any hardship if an officer fails to obtain advancement immediately on reaching the maximum of the scale, and I regret that I am unable to adopt the ho a. Member's suggestion that the promotions should date from the 1st April.