The EARL of RONALDSHAYasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state the special circumstances in the case of the Customs boatmen which induced the Treasury to allow them the privilege of counting their full unestablished service for pension while denying the similar privilege to clerks and assistant clerks in the Statistical Department of the Customs who have complied for years past with the practice laid down by the Secretary to the Treasury, that practice being 639 to count for pension any temporary service followed by established service so long as such service was continuous with and similar in character to the pensionable service that followed it?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI beg to refer the Noble Lord to the answers which I gave to questions on this subject by the hon. Member for Exeter on 15th July, 28th June, and 27th April last.