§ MR. CLAUDE HAYI beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether fines, reductions in rank, and dismissals of Post Office officials, ordered in the name of the Postmaster-General but actually approved under the authority of the Earl of Granard, are valid; if so, what is the authority that makes them so; and, if not, what course he proposes to take as regards these cases.
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONI found, soon after coming into office, that the mass of detail for which I was responsible was so great that, as I did not enjoy the advantage of an Under-Secretary, I required the assistance of a Parliamentary colleague. I represented the matter to the Prime Minister, and requested him to give me the assistance of some member of the Government who was not occupied with Departmental work. The Prime 681 Minister kindly assented to this course, and appointed Lord Granard, a member of the Government, to perform on my behalf and on my responsibility such duties as I might assign to hint, and to represent the Post Office in the House of Lords. I accept, of course, full responsibility for every act done by Lord Granard, with whom I am in daily communication and in whose judgment I have full confidence. I should like to add that I am much indebted to Lord Granard for the valuable assistance he has given me, without which I should have found it difficult adequately to fulfil my official duties during the past two years.
§ MR. CLAUDE HAYWhile I should be the last to question the capacity of the noble Lord, I must ask will the right hon. Gentleman state under what statute he has power to depute his responsibility to another?
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONI have power under various statutes, and under my warrant, or whatever it is called—the document I signed when I came into office—I have power to do what I have done in Lord Granard's case.
§ MR. CLAUDE HAYHas the right hon. Gentleman power to depute to another the responsibility of signature?
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONCertainly. I am, of course, responsible in the last resort.