§ Sir JOHN BETHELLasked the Secretary to the Treasury with reference to the recent nomination of Mr. Chandler, an assistant clerk, for promotion to a junior clerkship in the statistical office of the Customs and Excise, what is the initial salary of the assistant clerks' class and the minor staff officers' class, respectively; what is Mr. Chandler's age, and what is the average age of the minor staff officers; has it been the invariable practice ever since the introduction of the minor staff 1330W officers' grade into the statistical office to fill all vacancies on the junior clerks' class from that grade, or from grades superior thereto; and, if so, will he explain why this practice is about to be departed from by the promotion of Mr. Chandler, a clerk employed on the lowest class of adult clerks engaged in the Civil Service, over all the minor staff officers in the statistical office who are his seniors in grade, age, length of service, and, as tested by the Civil Service Commission certificate, in literary ability?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe answer to the first point is £45 and £190 respectively; to the second 32 and 48 respectively; to the third that out of six vacancies of junior clerk which have occurred since the creation of the minor staff officerships, three have been filled by promotion from that grade, two by the conversion of second division clerks into junior clerks, and one by the appointment of an examining officer second class. On the remaining point, I beg to refer the hon. Member to the concluding portion of my reply to the hon. Member for the St. Patrick's Division of Dublin on 13th instant, but I would add that the issue of a Civil Service certificate to an assistant clerk on promotion to a minor staff post does not imply any particular literary ability, as such promotion is made without literary examination.
§ Mr. STEPHEN COLLINSasked the Secretary to the Treasury, in view of the fact that assistant clerks in the Customs Statistical Office are now eligible for promotion to the second division, can he state how many vacancies for second division clerks at present exist and how many are estimated to arise within the next twelve months; and, having regard to the disparity that exists between the proportion of promotions from the assistant clerk class in the statistical office as compared with other departments, will he promise that, in filling present and future vacancies, due regard will be paid to the promise made to assistant clerks in the statistical office in Treasury Letter 14,756/1899?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe question of the normal number of second division clerks to be employed in the Customs and Excise Department is at present under consideration. It cannot be stated how many vacancies exist, or are likely to arise in the next twelve months. In regard to the latter part of the question, I beg to refer 1331W the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for the Tottenham Division of Middlesex on the 30th ultimo.