Mr. MARTHURasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether expectant supervisors of Excise have been appointed to the position of first-class examining officers of Customs; whether the vacancies arising in the latter class have already been found to be incapable of satisfying the reasonable claims of the senior second-class examining officers for promotion; whether it is to be understood, in view of these circumstances, that the system of advancement by examination from the second to the first-class of examining officers has been abandoned; and whether it is his intention to apply, as soon as possible, to those senior second-class examining officers (1882-8 entrants), whose prospects have already been twice injuriously affected by the reorganisations of 1882 and 1891, that revised scale of pay, on a service basis, which received the approval of the Board of Customs on the occasion of their interview with the delegates of the senior second-class examining officers in November, 1907?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEAs explained in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the question of the hon. Member for Barrow-in-Furness on 26th instant, a few assistant supervisors of Excise are, as a temporary expedient only, performing the duties of first-class examining officers of Customs; but I must point out that the number of promotions made this year to the latter grade is already in excess of the number for any of the three previous years. Pending the Report of the Committee appointed to inquire into the whole subject of the amalgamation of the Customs and Excise Departments, it is not possible to make any general pronouncement on the question of salaries or as to any alteration that may be found necessary in the present system of advancement from the second to the first-class of examining officer.
1475W