§ Mr. GOLDSTONEasked the Secretary to the Treasury, in view of the fact1498W that only five assistant clerks, new class employed in the Statistical Office, Customs and Excise, have been promoted to the second division since 1st January, 1911, while twenty-five, twenty-seven, and seventeen assistant clerks, new class, employed in the Post Office Savings Bank Department, Board of Education, and Board of Trade, respectively, have been promoted to the second division in the same period, if he will state why sufficient recommendations for promotions have not been forwarded by the Board of Customs and Excise for the sanction of the Treasury, so that the assistant clerks employed in the Statistical Office may have the same prospects of advancement as their colleagues in other offices; and if not less than one year's and not snore than two years' service as registered boy clerk may be allowed to reckon towards the eligibility by service of an assistant clerk for promotion to the second division?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIn reply to the first part of the question, I would remind the hon. Member that as has been frequently stated in this House, promotions must depend on the varying circumstances of the different departments. It is not possible in any grade to secure absolutely equal chances of advancement at all times in all departments. I would, however, point out that in addition to the five Statistical Office assistant clerks promoted to the second division, two were promoted to junior clerkships in that office, and eleven to supervising assistant clerkships, posts practically non-existent in the other departments referred to. The hon. Member will observe that the proportion of these promotions to the total number of assistant clerks employed compares not unfavourably with the figures for the other departments he mentions. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.
§ Mr. GOLDSTONEasked the Secretary to the Treasury what grade of clerk is employed in the Statistical Office, Customs and Excise, on the registration of particulars embodied in the Board of Trade Monthly Returns of trade and navigation; the scale of salary of that grade; the date of its introduction into the Statistical Office; the grade of clerk employed in checking the particulars entered in the registers; and the number of hours spent on the average each month by the checking clerks in verifying the registration of 1499W merchandise imported into and exported from the various ports in the United King. dom?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe answer to the first part of the question is the assistant clerk class; to the second £45 to £150; to the third, December, 1896; to the fourth, that, the checking is primarily done by assistant clerks with checking allowances, subject to further checks by superior officers; to the fifth, that no record is kept of the time spent in checking each separate branch of the work.