§ Sir H. NIELDasked the Minister of Pensions whether, in order to avoid any further down-grading of ex-service clerks in the Ministry of Pensions, he will authorise promotions to the established clerical class up to a number not less than the existing total of Grade I and Grade II ex-service male clerks in that Department?
§ Mr. F. O. ROBERTSNo, Sir; I am not prepared to create additional established posts which would not be justified by the declining work of the Ministry.
§ Sir H. NIELDasked the Minister of Pensions if he will, in view of the divergence between the pledges given by the Minister of Pensions on 17th December, 1919, and on 10th January, 1920, as to temporary women employed in that Department, and the opinion expressed by the Lytton Committee, in paragraph 18 of their third report, that the Pensions Ministry is peculiarly a Department in which special efforts should be made to employ ex-service men, state the policy adopted in this respect by His Majesty's Government.
§ Mr. ROBERTSI am happy to say that, while the pledges referred to by the right hon. and learned Member in regard to the women who have rendered over 11 years' valuable service have been duly honoured, it has been possible to carry out the recommendation of the committee with regard to the employment of ex-service men to an even greater extent than the committee itself contemplated.