To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will explain the circumstances under which the supervisor of Inland Revenue, who was promoted over more than 100 of his seniors last year, was declared not successful at the examination for inspectorship; whether any correspondence passed between the Inland Revenue Board and the Civil Service Commissioners; if so, did it result in the cancellation of this officer's examination; whether, in view of all the circumstances, the officer has been or will be informed that he will be allowed to compete at the next examination for inspectorship of excise; and whether all the Papers connected with the case will be submitted to the proper authority when the administration of Somerset House is next subjected to investigation.

The Board of Inland Revenue inform me that the supervisor in question committed a breach of the conditions of the examination by revealing to one of the examiners the examination number assigned to him, and that by their order, after consultation with the Civil Service Commissioners, his name was removed from the list of candidates. The Board were satisfied that his action was due to an error of judgment and not to any wilful or corrupt motive, but they removed his name as they considered that nothing should be condoned that might endanger the impartiality with which these examinations should be conducted. No application has been received from the supervisor to compete at the next examination for inspector of excise.