§ Mr. WILLIAM THORNEasked the number of appointments or promotions to the secretarial or surveyors' establishments of the Post Office, by nomination and by competitive examination, respectively, during the last three years; and if the Postmaster-General can say whether the Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the question of appointment to and promotion in the Civil Service will receive evidence from representatives of the various grades regarding the restrictions imposed during recent years against progress from the lower to the higher grades of the Post Office?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELNine officers have been appointed to the secretary's office (higher grade) by open competition within the last three years, and two by selection from existing classes of the Post 1035 Office. For the similar class of the surveying service, the numbers are five by open competition and five by selection from Post Office classes. No outsider was appointed otherwise than by open competition. I am not aware to what restrictions the hon. Member refers, but in any case it will be for the Royal Commission to determine what evidence it will receive.