§ Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that, on the closing of a regional office and the transfer of the staff to London or some other town, the removal expenses are paid in the case of officers on the permanent staff and not in the case of those on the temporary staff; and if he will make a grant in these oases, especially to those officers who qualified for permanent appointments at the examination of ex-service men. held some months ago?
§ Major TRYONI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Southwark Central (Colonel 697W Day) on the 9th April last. Temporary staff are as a rule transferred from one town to another as an alternative to discharge. A contribution towards removal expenses Is made where such staff are transferred with their work, and I am not prepared to extend this concession.
§ Mr. CLUSEasked the Minister of Pensions, seeing that on 1st November, 1921, there were 35 permanent and 14 temporary officers of the rank of principal clerk and above, of a total staff numbering 54,900, and that on 1st November, 1925, the officials of the rank of principal clerk and above numbered 71 permanents and two temporary, out of a total staff of 12,893, whether fie can state the reason for the increase in and the retention of the large number of officers of the rank of principal clerk and above; and whether it is proposed to report any of the officials in these grades to the Treasury for employment in other Departments?
§ Major TRYONI would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a similar question which he put to me on the 23rd July last. I am actively examining the organisation of the Ministry with a view to such further modifications as may be necessary in consequence of the decrease in the volume of work; but the increased complexity of many of the cases now dealt with and the necessity for the retention of pivotal posts makes it improbable that the reduction in the higher grades will be in the same proportion
NUMBERS OF WAR OFFICE STAFF as on 1st October, 1925 (excluding Local Audit Offices, Royal Hospital, Chelsea, Judge-Advocate-General's Office and Royal Army Clothing Department). — 1923. 1924. 1925. Military Officers 296 287 274 Military Clerks 108 112 108 Established Civil Servants (other than the Grade of Ex-soldier Clerk). 795 805 822 Established Ex-soldier Clerks* 167 174 322 Unestablished and Temporary Staff 1,310 1,119 813 Total 2,676 2,497 2,339 *Included in these figures are the following Pre-war Ex-soldier Clerks:—1923,167; 1924,163; 1925, 138.