§ 22. Sir JOHN ROLLESTONasked the total amount of the salaries of officials in the Land Valuation Department of the rank of district valuer and upwards at the beginning of this year and at the present time; and the total amount of the salaries of men below the rank of district valuer on the same two dates?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe salaries of officials in the Inland Revenue Valuation Office of the rank of district valuer and upwards at the beginning of this year amounted to 184 £91,985. At the present time they amount to £94,610. The salaries of officials below the rank of district valuer at the beginning of this year amounted to £475,500, and at the present time they amount to £217,100.
§ 23. Sir J. ROLLESTONasked whether, in case of dismissals which had taken place in the Land Valuation Department from the time of its formation until the middle of this year, a verbal intimation of approaching discharge was usually given some time previously to the written notice; whether such notices almost wholly affected the junior members of the staff, and why it was that in recent dismissals which affected practically the whole of the senior professional members of that staff no intimation was given prior to the service of the month's notice; whether a number of these men were invited, when the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, came into force, to join the Department; whether many of them gave up permanent appointments to do so; and is the Government aware that, owing to conditions brought about in the professional market by the War and the fact that most of those men are over age or otherwise ineligible for military service, their condition is rapidly becoming serious?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe question of dispensing with the services of the temporary valuation staff naturally did not arise until the concluding stages of the original valuation in connection with which the temporary staff was engaged. On engagement every member of the temporary staff signed an agreement which contained the following words: "It is distinctly under stood by me that my engagement is only on ordinary monthly hiring, subject to a calendar month's notice from any day, and that I shall not be entitled to any super annuation, compassionate or other allowance, at the termination thereof." I may add that the attention of such Government Departments as might be likely to require men with valuation qualifications has been called to the fact that the temporary valuation staff has been reduced. Should any opportunity arise of giving employment in any branch of the Inland Revenue Department to suitable members of the temporary valuation staff, advantage will be taken of it.
§ Mr. RAFFANIs the Land Valuation staff now at its minimum, or does the right hon. Gentleman contemplate still further reduction?
§ Mr. McKENNAI should like to have notice of that. I cannot say at this moment whether the reduction is entirely finished or not.
§ Mr. RAFFANIt is practically finished, I think.
§ Mr. McKENNAI must ask the Office.