§ MR. FIELDTo ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the new schema for the amalgamation of the Customs and Coastguards was framed with a view to the appointment of Commander Parry, brother to the deputy chairman of the Customs Board, to the post of chief inspector of waterguard; will he explain 1419 why this gentleman did not get the position; and why the new scheme was not abandoned when it was found impracticable to give him the appointment.
(Answered by Mr. Runciman.) There is no post of chief inspector of waterguard in the Customs service, but there is an inspector of the London waterguard, and this is, doubtless, the post to which the hon. Member refers. It has been filled by the appointment of a commander in the Royal Navy, specially selected about a year ago by the Admiralty at the request of the Board of Customs and with the approval of the Treasury; and as I have already stated in the House, during the debate on the Customs Estimates on May 16th, this appointment has nothing whatever to do with any proposal for amalgamating the Coastguard with the Customs. There is no foundation whatever for the suggestion respecting Captain Parry contained in this Question; and I cannot but regret that in these circumstances it should have been made.