§ CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether a decision has yet been arrived at on the memorial addressed to the Secretary of State for War on 18th January last by the Second Division Clerks employed in the Royal Army Clothing Department; and whether, seeing that the hulk of the supervising work of that Department, is now performed by these officers owing to the number of subordinate clerical employés having been largely increased without any addition having been made to the number of officials of higher rank actually engaged on supervision, and that, notwithstanding this performance of superior duties, no Second Division Clerk has yet been promoted to the higher division, or to a permanent staff post, or to the higher grade of the Second Division for exceptional merit, the claims of these clerks to promotion will be considered?
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR. OFFICE (Mr. POWELLWILLIAMS,) Birmingham, S.The whole quest ion of the decentralisation of Army Clothing has been referred to a Special Committee, and the status of the civilian establishment at Pimlico is an element in the Inquiry. No steps can therefore be taken on the memorial referred to until the Committee reports.