§ Lieut.-Colonel MURROUGH WILSONasked the Prime Minister whether he will 373W give instructions for a series of graphs to be placed in the Members' Tea Boom showing in monthly periods the number of employés in each of the principal Government Departments; and whether he will issue copies of such graphs for publication?
§ Mr. BALDWINArrangements have been made for the preparation of monthly returns of the staff employed in each of the principal Government Departments, and these will be issued as a series of White Papers. The first of the series, which relates to the staff as at 1st ultimo, is now being completed. A White Paper showing the staffs as at 1st August, 1914, 11th November, 1918, and 31st March, 1919, has already been issued. Monthly figures prior to 1st ultimo, however, could not be prepared except at a cost in time and labour which, in the present pressure of work, I am not prepared to authorise, and in the circumstances I hope the hon. and gallant Member will defer his request for a series of graphs until a sufficient number of the monthly returns, commencing as from 1st ultimo, has been accumulated for the purpose.