§ Mr. BOTTOMLEYasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state Mr. Ronald Muir-Mackenzie's qualifications for the appointment of assistant secretary to his uncle, the Clerk to the Crown; whether he was subsequently appointed Mace Bearer, at the maximum salary of £250 a year; whether this office was then changed in name to that of Deputy Serjeant-at-Arms and the salary increased to £500 a year; whether, on a rearrangement of offices, he was further appointed an assistant secretary in the Department; and what is the total of the salaries drawn by him?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI understand from the Lord Chancellor that the facts are as follows: Mr. R. Muir-Mackenzie is private secretary to his uncle, who has an allowance of £150 per annum to provide himself with a private secretary, as to whose qualifications the Treasury do not inquire. He was recently appointed Deputy Serjeant-at-Arms, on the retirement from that office of Mr. Hand—there is no office of Mace Bearer—and the salary, which is paid by the House of Lords, was raised from £250 to £350. It was at the same time arranged that he should act as assistant secretary to the Lord Chan- 1461 cellor for ecclesiastical business, for which he receives £100 per annum. His total salary at present is £600 a year.