§ 5. Mr. R. RICHARDSONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, in the case of existing Irish civil servants who elect to continue to serve under the Free State Government, the Imperial Government will be the guarantor of their tenure of office, salaries, superannuation, and conditions generally; and whether the Civil Service Committee will be set up in accordance with Section 56 of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Sir Hamar Greenwood)I have been asked by the Colonial Secretary to answer this question. As I informed the hon. Member for Pontypool on the 13th instant, it is proposed to discuss this question with representatives of the Provisional Government prior to the establishment of the Free State. I regret that I cannot at the moment give a more definite answer to the hon. Member's question, but I can assure him that His Majesty's Government will not be unmindful of the interests of those members of the Civil Service to whom he refers.