§ 16. Sir NICHOLAS GRATTAN - DOYLEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that 170 persons were transferred from the Mercantile Marine Department, Great Smith Street, to the Board of Trade, Storey's Gate, in January last; will he state whether 170 other persons were removed from Storey's Gate to make room for the influx of the 170 persons; and, if such was not the case, will he explain why office space sufficient to take 170 persons, which was available at Storey's Gate, was not used until closer settlement provided accommodation for the influx of 170 persons?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMThe hon. Member will see from my reply of the 18th November on the same subject, that the figure of 170 therein named represented a net addition to the previous number of officers accommodated at headquarters. The object of the changes made in January last was to bring about a gain in efficiency by greater concentration, and I could not admit that there was any wasteful use of the accommodation before that date. I may add that the particular arrangements that have been made involving the closer settlement of the staff were adopted in the absence of additional available accommodation.