§ Mr. MOLESasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware 1641W that the Regulations of the Board of Inland Revenue provide for all established clerks to inspectors of, taxes submitting themselves to a Departmental examination before being allowed to proceed beyond £130 per annum; whether a number of such clerks have been promoted to staff clerkships (salary commencing at £200 per annum) without having had to submit themselves to such examination; whether, in view of the fact that clerks that failed to pass such examinations are being thus penalised for promotion, he will state why the Regulations are not being complied with in some cases and rigidly adhered to in others; and whether, in view of the great dissatisfaction among the older clerks, he will have the matter investigated, so that clerks of long service may receive fair treatment?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe examination referred to originally served merely an efficiency test within the grade of tax clerk, and clerks selected for promotion to staff clerk before they had reached the efficiency bar in their scale were under no obligation to take the examination. The Regulations have now been altered so as to make the passing of the examination also a condition of promotion. I cannot recognise that any clerk who has failed to pass the examination has any legitimate grievance in being on that account debarred from promotion.