asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that a Mr. Bolas, as a result of a recent examination, was appointed to a permanent position in his Department at a salary of £100 per annum although his salary as a temporary clerk was £310 per annum; and, seeing that his salary in accordance with the Lytton Report should have been £120 per annum, and that this and similar apparent violations of the spirit of the Report are causing uneasiness in the minds of ex-service men in the Civil Service, if he proposes to take any steps to deal with such cases?

The initial salary of officers appointed to the permanent establishment of the Ministry, as a result of the examination for posts in the clerical class, is fixed strictly in accordance with the recommendations of the Lytton Committee. In the particular case referred to, the candidate's salary as a temporary official was £250 a year. He was temporarily paid at the rate of £310 a year whilst on trial in a higher post, but his appointment to that post was not confirmed, and at the end of the period of probation he was placed and paid on a lower grade. He is now paid at the rate of £200 a year, including bonus.

Does not the initial salary recommendation operate very harshly against ex-service men as it is, and if the Minister exercises his discretion, as I understand he has done in this case, does not their position become altogether impossible?

I will consider the point raised by my hon. and gallant Friend, but I would point out again, that he is quite wrong in contrasting a £310 salary with a £100 salary, as on the actual facts of the ease the present salary is not £100, but £200.