§ Mr. DUCKWORTHasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, when the appointments to established and unestablished posts in the new grades of technical assistants and to established posts in the new grades of architectural assistants in the architects and maintenance surveyors divisions will be announced?
§ Sir V. HENDERSONA Selection Board upon which the Civil Service Com-54W missioners will be represented is now being constituted, and it is hoped that this Board will be able to begin to interview applicants within the next three weeks.
§ Sir W. de FRECEasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether, seeing that the grading of the architectural assistants in the architects and maintenance surveyors divisions was decided by a committee of the National Whitley Council more than four years ago and that the salary scales were determined by the Industrial Court in February, 1926, he can give the reasons for the protracted delay that has occurred in carrying through the reorganisation?
§ Sir V. HENDERSONThe delay prior to February, 1926, was entirely due to the protracted negotiations on salary scales with the representatives of the staff. After the issue of the award of the Industrial Court in February, 1926, the Department was engaged, in conjunction with the staff side of the Departmental Whitley Council, in fixing the number of officers to be appointed to each of the grades concerned and in determining the terms of assimilation to the new scales of salary. This was completed in June of last year, and retrospective effect was then given to the scheme as from 1st January, 1926, as provided in the Court's Award.