§ MR. VIVIAN (Birkenhead)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the case of a paid permanent civil servant, viz., a registrar of births, marriages, and deaths, who has acted for three weeks as a paid agent for a political candidate; and if this civil servant, having been warned of the consequences of his conduct, still persists in doing paid work for this candidate, will he say if he proposes to continue him in his appointment.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. JOHN BURNS,) BatterseaMy hon. friend has asked me to reply to this Question. My attention has not been called to the case referred to in it, but I may point out that registrars of births and deaths and registrars of marriages are not paid permanent civil servants, or indeed civil servants at all. They are appointed by the boards of guardians or superintendent registrars, as the case may be, and are paid by fees. They hold office during the pleasure of the Registrar-General. Speaking generally, a registrar is not debarred from performing political or other work in the hours which he is not required to devote to his public duties, provided that those duties are in no way interfered with. If, however, my hon. friend will inform me of the name of the officer to whom he refers, and of his district, I will ask the Registrar-General to inquire into the circumstances of the case.