§ 43. Sir J. BUTCHERasked the Secretary to the Treasury the number of men in the Statistical Office and other branches, respectively, of the Customs and Excise Department who volunteered and were accepted for service in 1914 and 1915, the number of these men who have been put forward by the Customs and Excise Department for transfer to the Ministry of Pensions as second-class clerks and have been given clerkships, and the number of civilians who have been so put forward and have been given clerkships; and whether preference for such appointments will in future be in all cases given to the men who voluntarily joined for service provided they are properly qualified?
§ Mr. BALDWINApplications for transfer to the Ministry of Pensions as second class clerks were invited from the staff of the Customs and Excise Department, and every effort was made to bring the matter to the notice of members of the staff on military service. The nominations numbered fifty in all, of whom twelve had served in the War, and the Ministry of Pensions selected twenty-one for transfer on probation, of whom four had so served. I am informed that the Ministry needed the services of experienced officers, and that owing to their age most of the applicants with military service failed to satisfy this requirement. The transfers in question were arranged prior to the issue of the Treasury Circular of 29th January last, and I can assure my hon. Friend that the suggestion contained in the concluding sentence of the question will be carefully borne in mind.