§ Mr. REMNANTasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in connection with a scheme for the reorganisation of Post Office classes called mail-bag apparatus examiners, the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury in July, 1908, approved the scheme on the understanding 298 that before the alteration was carried out each officer then on the classes concerned should have received one step in promotion, or have been passed over as unsuitable for promotion; if so, whether the principle adopted in this case is that usually followed in the Civil Service; whether the course followed was that recommended by the Postmaster-General, or was the recommendation of the Postmaster-General more favourable or less favourable to the officers concerned; if there was any departure from the Postmaster-General's recommendation, what were the reasons for this; and what are the exact powers of the Treasury in varying the recommendations made in cases of this kind?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe decision of the Treasury in July, 1909, on the proposal of the Postmaster-General was in accordance with the usual practice in similar cases arising in the Civil Service generally. With regard to the latter part of the question, the consent of the Treasury is required in cases in which financial considerations are involved, or an extra charge is imposed on the Exchequer.