§ Colonel DAYasked the Ministry of Pensions whether, in view of the fact that 60 of the principal permanent posts of the Ministry of Pensions are occupied by persons who did not serve with the forces during the War, and that 39 of these appointments have been made in the last three years, during which period a considerable number of ex-service men have been discharged as redundant, he will take steps to have some of the 60 principals replaced by ex-service officers or men, particularly in the secretariat and branches dealing with applications for pensions and' matters of policy relating thereto?
§ Major TRYON:As I explained in my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Everton (Colonel Woodcock) on the 28th ultimo, the permanent officers referred to are all men of considerable established service under the State who were above military age or were found unfit for military service or were compulsorily retained in the interests of public administration. The suggestion now made that some of them should be substituted by ex-service officers or men could not be carried out without a serious interruption of the work of the Ministry, it would not increase the number of ex-service officers in the permanent Civil Service; and in the interests of proper and effective administration I am not prepared to adopt it. I would add that although 39 appointments specifically mentioned in the question were only made during the last three years, the large majority of these appointments involved no addition to the personnel, the additional posts being due to the scheme of regrading of the Civil Service drawn up in 1921, but not applied till 1922.
1169W
§ Colonel DAYasked the Minister of Pensions whether he will furnish a statement showing the total number of. permanent officers of the rank of principal clerk and above, and the number of those who served in the forces during the War who were employed on 1st January, 1925, in each of the following branches of the Ministry of Pensions at London headquarters: secretariat, officers' awards, establishment, local administration, and pension issue office?
§ Major TRYONThe figures required are as follow:—
Branch No. of permanent officers of rank of Principal Clerk and above on 1st January, 1925. No. who served in the Forces during the War. Headquarters Administration 8 1 Officers' Awards 8 1 Establishment 3 — Local Administration 2 2 Pension Issue Office 8 2