§ Mr. ARTHUR STANLEYasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that, as a result of the Customs and Excise amalgamation, the regular promotion of senior second-class examining officers of Customs, hitherto unduly retarded, has since 1st April, 1909, been entirely suspended, to the pecuniary loss of the officers concerned, while the promotion of all other grades in the Customs and in the Excise has been allowed to proceed without interruption; and whether, in view of the explicit assurance of the Prime Minister to the House of Commons that no officer should suffer loss as a result of the amalgamation, and in view of the seriousness of the position in which the second-class examining officers are placed, as also of the fact that those officers received from the late Board of Customs so long ago as November, 1907, and from the Financial Secretary in June, 1908, assurances of redress of pre-existing grievances as regards retardation, he will state approximately the date on which the long-expected measures of salary adjustment are likely to be applied, and also the date on which the regular promotion of the senior second-class examining officers will be resumed?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSE:I hope that immediately after Easter the Committee appointed by the Treasury to consider the 1018W conditions under which the amalgamation of the Customs and Excise Departments can best be carried out will commence to take evidence. I am afraid I cannot accept the hon. Member's question as accurately describing the facts, but I can assure him that the point raised by him will be fully considered.