§ Mr. TASKERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, in consequence of the reorganisation of staff in the various collections of the Department of His Majesty's Customs and Excise, there has recently been a number of vacancies in the Departmental higher clerical grade, which have been filled by promotion from the basic Departmental clerical class but from which the clerical officers serving in the Statistical Office have been debarred, with the result that a number of comparatively junior men on the lower ranges of the clerical class scale of pay have been promoted to higher grade posts, with a basic rate of £300 per annum, while senior men in the Statistical Office on the higher points of the clerical salary scale remain unpromoted; and whether he will cause inquiry to be made into the matter and consider the desirability of issuing a Memorandum upon the subject?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe junior clerical officers employed in the Statistical Office of the Customs and Excise Department, to whom my hon. Friend refers, are members of the general clerical class, whereas the vacancies of higher grade clerk have occurred in the Departmental clerical class establishment. There are substantial differences in the work on which the two classes are employed, and, in the interests of efficiency, I am advised that it is desirable that the avenues of promotion should remain distinct.