§ MR. LAMBERT (Devon, South Molton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether an application has been received by him 1334 from the Clerk of the Devon County Council, that his present clear salary of £1,400 a year should be increased to £1,900 a year; and whether he has authority, in the absence of any recommendation, to vary such salary; if so, having regard to the fact that the Standing Joint Committee of Devonshire, after special consideration, has decided that the present emoluments of the Clerk of the County Council are ample, and the ratepayers of the county generally consider them more than ample, it is his intention to increase such emoluments?
§ MR. ASQUITHYes; I have received the application to which my hon. Friend refers. The Secretary of State has no power to vary the salary of his own accord, but in this case I have received a recommendation from the Standing Joint Committee to vary the mode of paying the clerk, which would enable me to direct such variation of the salary as I thought proper. I have considered the clerk's application, and I see no ground for supposing that he will be inadequately remunerated under the new arrangement, nor for interfering with the unanimous decision of the Standing Joint Committee.