HC Deb 15 March 1911 vol 22 cc2233-4
Mr. POINTER

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention had been called to the appointment by the Sandown Urban District Council, Isle of Wight, of Mr. L. G. Dashper, surveyor to the council, to the additional office of inspector of nuisances; whether his salary of £220 is to be made up of £140 as surveyor and £80 as inspector, whereby the council state that they will save £38 per year; if so, whether the saving will be wholly paid by the Local Government Board, seeing that they contribute £40, or half the salary, of the inspector; whether the appointment has been ratified; and, if so, whether it is the general policy of the Department to favour dual appointments of this character?

Mr. BURNS

My attention has been drawn to this matter, and the facts seem to be as stated in the question. Application has been made to the Local Government Board for approval to the appointment of Mr. Dashper as inspector of nuisances, and at present it does not seem to me that approval can properly be with- held. The policy of the Department has been generally in the direction of favouring the appointments of officers who will give their whole time to the service of the local authority.

Mr. POINTER

Will the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the effect upon the service of the discouragement offered to those who prepare themselves for these posts and then find themselves excluded?

Mr. BURNS

I think the wider and greater interest of the efficiency of the service of the community should always stand in front of the interests of either candidates or people who qualify for these appointments.

Mr. POINTER

The point of the previous question was whether the right hon. Gentleman has considered the effect upon the service by discouraging applicants?

Mr. BURNS

No, I think the advantage to the community, as a whole, rests in having public officers devoting, wherever possible, the whole of their time to the public service.

Mr. POINTER

Do I understand the right hon. Gentleman to mean the former system of having separately an inspector of nuisances and a surveyor, each of whom gave part time?

Mr. BURNS

Yes, in many cases, and it operated disastrously to the community they were expected to serve.

Mr. POINTER

I mean in this particular case?

Mr. SPEAKER

This is degenerating into a debate.