HC Deb 16 July 1929 vol 230 c222
68. Mr. MATHERS

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department has reached any decision in respect of the services of a certain officer in the Sasine Office at Edinburgh after his attainment of the age of 65; and whether he is aware that there is a serious block in promotion of first class clerkships in the Sasine Office and any such extension to an officer holding a higher appointment is a matter of grave concern to the staff?

The SECRETARY of STATE for SCOTLAND (Mr. William Adamson)

After careful consideration I decided that in view of the special circumstances arising from the recent reorganization of the Department I must ask the Treasury to sanction a short extension of service for an officer who is actively engaged on reorganization work and who could ill be spared at present. The Treasury have now given their sanction. As the proposal only involves a few months' extension to the officer in question, its effect on promotion prospects is negligible. I fully realise the undesirability on general grounds of extension of service, and the hon. Member may rest assured that I should not propose it except on clear grounds of public interest.

Mr. MACQUISTEN

Is this man of 65 thoroughly efficient? If so, why should he be scrapped?