§ 65. Mr. COMPTONasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, seeing that agreements reached by the National Whitley Council are binding upon all departments, that the promotions committee Report is such an agreement, that the terms of this agreement were departed from by the Public Trustee Office, Manchester, in connection with a recent promotion, and that the Public Trustee has refused to give an assurance that the Report will be complied with in future, he will say what steps he proposes to take to ensure that the Report is fully observed?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir Douglas Hogg)I have been asked to reply. I am informed that the Public Trustee, acting in strict accordance with Paragraph 21 of the Promotions Committee Report, considered that the institution of a Promotions Board was unsuited to the circumstances of that Department, and accordingly gave an opportunity for a full discussion of the subject to the appropriate Whitley body, a:, a result of which a working arrangement was instituted. I understand that the particular vacancy to which reference is made was notified to the Secretary of the staff side of the Manchester office, and he was informed of the proposed promotion, but in the circumstances of the case—which were exceptional—no notice of the vacancy was placed upon the Notice Board. I have every reason to suppose that the Public Trustee abides and will abide by the understanding arrived at between him and his staff.