§ Mr. FIELDasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether any change has been made in the conditions of service under the transfer of the staff of the Royal College of Science (Ireland) to the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction; if so, the reason of the change; whether Parliamentary sanction has been given; and whether he will cause a Return to be made showing the age at which full-time professors in the Royal Colleges of Science at Dublin and London were appointed to chairs carrying the seven years' addition to the total years of service?
§ Mr. BIRRELLreplied: The conditions of service of the staff of the Royal College of Science, Dublin, who were transferred to the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland have not been altered except in two cases in which members of the staff on a temporary footing at the time of transfer have since been appointed to pensionable posts. A Treasury Minute of 1st July, 1910, which was laid before Parliament on the 27th July, 1910, states the position of the Professors as regards superannuation. No useful purpose would be served by giving the Return asked for.