Sir F. HALLasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total reduction as regards number of personnel and amount of salaries and wages for all Government Departments as regards permanent and temporary staff since 1st July. 1919; and whether it would be possible for the Treasury to submit a Return showing the number, with particulars, of the additional established positions which have been created since July, 1914. in the several Government Departments which were in existence before the War, and the same information as regards Departments brought into existence since, showing in the latter cases the new positions authorised since the establishments of such Departments were originally laid down?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe staffs of Civil Departments were reduced by 7,34[...] between 1st July, 1919, and 1st October, 1919, the latest date up to which full particulars are available. Payments in the-month of September in respect of salaries, wages, and overtime, exceeded the similar payments in the mouth of June by approximately £7,500, the saving on account of the reduction in personnel being more than absorbed by increases given during the period by the Civil Service Arbitration Board in respect of the cost of living With regard to the second part of the hon. and gallant Member's question, I would refer him to White Paper, Cmd. 276, and the series of monthly Returns, of which the first four are in Command 316, 343, 379, and 380. I trust that the full information given in these Returns will suffice for the hon. and gallant Members purposes.