§ Mr. BUTLER LLOYDasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that certain numbers of the valuation staff, Inland Revenue Department, on return to civil duty after four and a half years' war service, have not been paid increments of salary which would have accrued to them during the War in accordance with Treasury Regulations issued in 1914; that such members have been placed on a new age-scale of salaries disregardful of merit or length of service, and under which most of them can receive no increase; that their war bonuses are more than 50 per cent. lower than the award of the Conciliation and Arbitration Board, and that the total remuneration of all these men, including valuers of the temporary staff, is considerably less than the pay of a junior constable of the Police Force; that certain professional members have been reduced in status and their privileges curtailed; whether the Government will give an assurance that steps will be taken to adjust the salaries of these men to include increases during the War in redemption of the pledge given to the House of Commons on the 10th August, 1914, to adjust the war bonuses on an equality with collateral members of the permanent staff, all such increases of salary and war bonus to be retrospective to date of resumption of civil duties, to re-instate professional ex-Service members to a grade equivalent to their former status; is he aware that cer- 1146W tain members of the temporary valuation staff, Inland Revenue Department, medically fit and of military age, and who have not been in the Army, nave during the War been promoted to the permanent establishment; and, in view of this, will members of the temporary staff, who have served during the War and whose posts have been kept open, be promoted to an equality with such members?
§ Mr. BALDWINI conclude that the question refers to members of the temporary valuation staff who joined His Majesty's Forces with the permission of the Board of Inland Revenue. The temporary valuation staff was engaged for the purpose of assisting in the original valuation of land under Part I. of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, and the members of it were not engaged on a definite scale of pay carrying annual increments, but were paid salary determined from time to time by reference to the value of their services. No title to the grant of increments during their service with the Forces therefore existed. With the practical completion of the original valuation during the year 1915–16, the temporary valuation staff was, in the main, disbanded, and the grade of temporary valuation assistant (to which class a number of the men enlisting with permission belonged) became unnecessary and was abolished. The temporary valuation assistants who enlisted with permission could not be re-employed in their former capacity on their release from the Forces, but, in view of the undertaking given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the 10th August, 1914, in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Dulwich, they have been provided with posts on the temporary clerical staff at remuneration on the basis indicated in my reply of the 30th June last to the hon. Member for the Shettleston Division of Glasgow. The question of revising the basis of pay for this staff is receiving consideration. I understand that certain appointments of selected members of the temporary valuation staff to established positions in the valuation office have been made since the outbreak of war. In making the selections the qualifications and claims of men serving with the Forces were carefully considered.