§ SIR HENRY HAVELOCKasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether several General Officers commanding districts have recently made representations regarding the unsatisfactory position of the Control Paymasters in their relations with the Commissaries-General of Supply and Ordnance, and the conflict of authority arising therefrom; whether his attention has been drawn to the desirability of making the Pay Department independent of interference from those Commissaries-General, as regards its financial functions, in respect to payments for contracts originating with those officers; and, whether it is a fact that, in consequence of the officers of the Pay Sub-Department bearing Commissions appointing them to the defunct Control Department, and their designations not having been changed since its abolition thirteen months ago, their promotions and appointments, unlike those of officers in any other branch, are at a standstill because they cannot be gazetted in the customary form?
MR. GATHORNE HARDYSir, representations have been made with regard to certain paragraphs of the Ordnance Store Regulations which have been interpreted by some Ordnance Store officers in a sense opposite to that in which the Commissariat Regulations as to pay have been understood by Commissariat officers. It has been suggested at times that the Pay department should be independent of the Commissariat. The promotions and appointments in the Pay sub-department of the late Control are practically suspended. Both the latter points stand for decision in a scheme now under immediate consideration, and with regard to the first matter mentioned advantage will be taken in the issue of revised Regulations to clear up the point in dispute.