68. Captain TERRELLasked the President of the Board of Education whether 657 his attention has been called to the statement of a high official of his Department, quoted in the Report of the Select Committee on Estimates, to the effect that the higher staff of his Department should be capable of reduction; and what effect is he giving to this expression of opinion?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Herbert Fisher)I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for the Frome Division of Somerset (Mr. Hurd) on the 10th July last, a copy of which I am sending to him.
Captain TERRELLMay I press my right hon. Friend for a reply to the last part of the question, "what effect is he giving to this expression of opinion"?
§ Mr. FISHERIt is obvious that the process of reduction must be gradual.
§ Mr. CLYNESIn view of the Reports submitted on the general question of economy, has there been any general investigation into the various Departments and offices as to the possibility of reducing the higher staffs?
§ Mr. FISHERI have made a close investigation into my Department and have come to the conclusion that reductions can be made, and they are being made. In the previous answer to which I referred the hon. Member I said that reductions had been made.