HC Deb 08 October 1912 vol 42 cc153-4
4. Mr. HARRY LAWSON

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that of the fourteen appointments to the outdoor staff of the National Health Insurance Commission made from 600 applications from the Customs and Excise service, one of the officers appointed to an assistant inspectorship was the son of a superintending inspector of Customs and Excise, formerly of the Excise branch, and one was the son of a collector of Customs and Excise, formerly of the Excise branch; what was the length of service and what were the special qualifications of these two officers appointed to assistant inspectorships; and whether, in view of the detrimental influence on the Customs and Excise service of indications which appear to point to an absence of impartiality, he can see his way to issue a general statement as to the methods of selection adopted in this case in order to remove the impression created in the Customs branch of the amalgamated service by these appointments?

The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Masterman)

Of the Customs and Excise applicants who were appointed as assistant inspectors under the National Health Insurance Commission for England, one, who was an officer of Customs and Excise and had had thirteen years' service, was the son of a superintending inspector of Customs and Excise, and another, who was also an officer of Customs and Excise and had had about fifteen years' service, was the son of a superannuated officer (not collector) of Excise. As I have already stated, the Committee of Selection consisted of five members, including representatives of other public departments besides the Board of Customs and Excise, and for chairman the First Civil Service Commissioner. Neither its constitution nor its action affords any ground for the suggestion contained in the latter part of the question.