§ 29. Mr. TREVELYANasked the President of the Board of Education whether he will make a full statement of the 581 reductions of the staff of the Board of Education and of the inspectorate which he has made or is intending to make?
§ Lord E. PERCYThe Board's headquarters staff will be reduced on the 31st of this month by the following posts; seven administrative officers, one staff clerk, 83 temporary clerks, eight shorthand typists and typists, two temporary messengers, two charwomen. Five additional administrative posts, and a number of higher clerical posts not exceeding seven, will be suppressed as opportunity offers. Proposals for the reorganisation of the Board's inspectorate are under consideration, but I am not yet in a position to make a statement as to the reductions which will be effected thereby.
§ Mr. TREVELYANWill the right hon. Gentleman give ns a statement as to which Departments he is scrapping?
§ Lord E. PERCYI am scrapping no Department. I do not know what the right hon. Gentleman means.
§ Mr. TREVELYANWill the right hon. Gentleman make a statement then as to the Departments which are being merged in other Departments, and what officials he is dispensing with?
§ Lord E. PERCYIf the right hon. Gentleman wants an account of the measures taken in the reorganisation of my Department he will doubtless ask for it on the Estimates, and I shall be glad to give it him.
§ Mr. TREVELYANIs not the House entitled, now that the action is actually being taken, to know what the right hon. Gentleman is doing with his Department?
§ Lord E. PERCYNot at Question Time.
§ Mr. TREVELYANIf we are not to have this information at Question Time. if I ask him for a return of some kind, will the right hon. Gentleman be kind enough to give it to the House?
§ Lord E. PERCYIf the right hon. Gentleman moves for a return, of course I will do my best to supply it.