Mr. STEWART (on behalf of Mr. Tobin)asked whether, in consequence of the recent reorganisation of the Army Accounts Department, several second-class assistant accountants in that Department had become supernumerary; whether such accountants were appointed to that Department after competitive examination; whether such accountants, by reason of their high position in the list of successful candidates at such examination, were enabled to choose an appointment in that Department in preference to other Departments; whether such accountants had been offered the alternative either of being transferred to other Departments with loss of seniority, or of being dismissed from the public service; whether the prospects in the Army Accounts Department, at the time of such accountants receiving their appointments, were in fact better than those in the other Departments by reason of there being a larger proportion of appointments of the value of £350 per annum; whether it was imperatively necessary that such accountants should, on being transferred to other Departments, suffer a loss of seniority, and so become junior to men who were placed in a lower position in the list of successful candidates at the same competitive examination, and junior to men who entered the Government service at a later date; whether the Army Council had strongly recommended to the Treasury that such transfer should carry with it no loss of seniority; whether such accountants had performed their duties with thorough efficiency; and whether, under the circumstances, the transfer of such accountants to another Department could be effected without loss of seniority?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe answer to the first two inquiries is in the affirmative. I am unable to give an opinion as to the considerations by which successful candidates are influenced in the selection of appointments. I understand that the number of appointments of the value of £350 per annum was possibly larger in proportion in this Department than in some others, but it is impossible to say whether 439 the prospects were really more favourable. These officers have become redundant owing to a reorganisation of the Army Accounts Department, and in such circumstances the public interest requires that transfers to other Departments should be made. I regret that it is not possible for the Treasury to provide that such transfers in the case of these officers should be made with retention of seniority, as this would give rise to grievances in the Departments affected. The answer to the last inquiry but one is in the affirmative.
Mr. STEWARTasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether eighteen assistant accountants who entered the Army Accounts Department under the intermediate scheme of open competition were to be dismissed unless they accepted transfer to other Departments on terms involving loss of seniority, whereas, under the recent organisation of the Army Accounts Department, thirty civilians and forty-four officers of the Army Pay Department, who happened to be redundant, were being retained pending absorption in that Department; whether he could see his way so to treat these eighteen accountants that the advantage of their seniority in the public service might be safeguarded to them in any new Department where their service could be availed of; and whether the Army Council recommended that this seniority should be recognised?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSESo far as this question is not answered by the reply which I have just given to the hon. and learned Member for Preston, the matters referred to in it belong to the province of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War, and I would refer the hon. Member to an answer given by my right hon. Friend on Monday last to the hon. Member for Enfield.
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI think the hon. Member will find the facts with regard to these gentlemen in the reply to which I have referred him.