§ MR. FIELDTo ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the re-transfer 437 back to London of local auditors in the Crown Colonies and Protectorates at their local rates of pay abroad is part of the amalgamation scheme of the Exchequer and Audit Department and Colonial Audit Branch; and, if so, seeing that these local rates are in many cases very high owing to local conditions, will he consider the advisability of giving instructions to the effect that such high local rates should be revised on the re-transfer back to London of any of the local auditors abroad.
(Answered by Mr. Runciman.) Under the new scheme by which auditors and assistant auditors for the various Colonies are to be selected from the Exchequer and Audit Department, it is in contemplation that while serving abroad they will receive their home rates of pay plus a local allowance. On returning to duty at home they will drop the local allowance.