§ 48. Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will suspend any further recruitment to the established general and departmental clerical classes from open competition until the whole question of the future pay and status of the new special class has been settled and whether, in the meantime, steps will be taken to review the necessary clerical class complements in the various departments so as to afford promotion for the existing members of the new special class?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAClerical class complements are fixed in accordance with the requirements of the work and cannot be specially increased for the purpose of providing additional promotions. It would not be in the public interest to suspend open competition for these classes but a large proportion of vacancies are filled by the promotion of suitable officers already serving. A substantial number of such promotions have been made from the P class and it has been agreed that members of the special class, which was set up as a result of the discussions with the recognised staff representatives on the Temporary Staffs Committee, should also be eligible for such promotion.