§ MR. SEARS (Cheltenham)To ask the Secretary of State for India whether there is a Government order to the effect that no Government servant shall engage in private work whilst serving under their orders; whether the architect to the Government of Madras is allowed to undertake private work; and whether the Director of Public Instruction is in the habit of referring to the Government architect to pass and recommend for the education grant plans prepared by himself, thus placing him in the position of passing his own designs for a grant; will he state what salary the Government 414 architect receives, and whether there is a retiring pension attached to the office: will he cause a Return to be made of the private works undertaken by this public official contrary to Government regulations.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) There is a rule to the effect that no Government servant may engage in private work without the previous permission of the local government. I am not aware whether such permission has been given by the Government of Madras to their consulting architect, nor what conditions may have been attached to the permission, if granted; but I will inquire. The present consulting architect is a superintending engineer in the Public Works Department, with a salary of Rs.2,000 a month, who is eligible for pension under the rules applicable to officers of that department.