HC Deb 29 July 1913 vol 56 cc294-5W
Mr. FIELD

asked the Secretary to the Treasury how many of the fifteen assistant clerks in the Customs Statistical Office who are at present on their maximum salary, are eligible by long service and efficiency, which were the qualifications stated to be required on 25th October, 1909, for the grant of the £10 special increment?

Mr. MASTERMAN

There are twenty-five assistant clerks in the Statistical Office at their maximum salary. As I informed the hon. Member for Tottenham on the 5th ultimo, it is not proposed to make any further assignments of special increments in this office at present, and it is therefore unnecessary to consider the qualifications of the men eligible by service for them. As has been frequently pointed out, these increments are not given automatically to those who have qualified as regards length of service.

Mr. FIELD

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether in view of the fact that an assistant clerk may properly be granted a special increment though he does not possess the qualifications required for a supervisory post, he can state why an assistant clerk in the Statistical Office of the Customs and Excise who possessed the qualifications for, and was promoted to, a supervising post was not granted before his promotion the £10 special increment to which he was properly entitled?

Mr. MASTERMAN

I beg to refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Tottenham on 13th February last. As has frequently been pointed out the possession of qualifications for a supervising post does not necessarily qualify an assistant for a special increment.

Mr. FIELD

asked the Secretary to the Treasury how many of the fifteen assistant clerks in the Statistical Office, Customs and Excise, stated to be eligible by long service for the £10 special increment, are in receipt of a £30 allowance for the performance of duties outside the ordinary duties of their grade; and whether the recommendation for a £30 allowance depends on greater efficiency than that required for a £10 special increment?

Mr. MASTERMAN

The answer to the first part of the question is eleven; in reply to the second I beg to refer the hon. Member to the concluding part of the reply I gave him on the 26th ultimo.