§ MR. STEADMAN (Finsbury, Central)To ask the Postmaster-General what penalties are inflicted in the case of officers who fail to pass the efficiency bar on first or further trials, but subsequently are able to qualify; whether such penalties are regarded as punishment; and whether the rules which apply in these cases are general to the service.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.)When an officer fails to pass the efficiency bar his pay does not rise above it until he attains the required qualifications. Thereafter, if his conduct and work continue satisfactory, his pay rises by annual increments until it reaches the maximum of the scale. If an officer cannot pass the efficiency bar his services are not considered to be worth more than the amount at which the bar is fixed, and he does not receive more. There is no question of punishment. All rules relating to the efficiency bar are of uniform application.