HC Deb 23 February 1893 vol 9 cc180-2
MR. ROBERT WALLACE (Edinburgh,E.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he can state how many officers on the active list of the Army are at present in the employment of Trading Companies; on what terms; and by whose permission; whether any compenation to the public revenue is charged against such companies for the services so granted; whether, in making such loans of public services, any difference is recognised between the applications of companies incorporated by Royal Charter and ordinary Joint Stock Companies under the Companies Acts; whether, while engaged as agents for such Companies, such officers are specially authorised to represent Her Majesty or the Government; and whether Her Majesty's Commission to such officers invests them with any representative character outside the sphere of their military duties while in actual performance, or any such character at all?

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

There are nine such officers. They serve by permission of the Secretary of State, receive no pay from Army funds, and on retirement will be subjected to a reduction from their retired pay of £5 for each year of such seconded service. Presumably this loss is made good to the officers by the companies employing them, but no other charge is made against the companies. As only Chartered Companies employ officers in this way, the question of the comparative treatment of their applications and those of other companies has not arisen. Officers thus employed represent the companies employing them and no other authority by virtue of their Military Commissions.

MR. HUNTER (Aberdeen, N.)

Does the right hon. Gentleman's answer apply to officers who are Directors of public companies?

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

I do not know. My hon. Friend had better give notice of that question.

MR. HANBURY

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Directors referred to by the hon. Member have obtained permission from the War Office in the same way as the Directors serving the Trading Companies.

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

Officers serving the Chartered Companies in Africa and elsewhere are completely taken away from their military duties, and they naturally have to obtain the permission of the War Office to be so absent. I do not know that the position of a Director of an ordinary company is inconsistent with the performance of military duties.

MR. HANBURY

But do officers who serve as Directors of companies have to get permission to do so from the War Office in the same way as officers serving Chartered Companies?

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

I must ask for notice of that question.