§ Mr. C. DUNCANasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state how many Committees have been appointed since 1892 in connection with the pay, promotion, method of entry, and numbers of the clerical staff, as distinct from the directing staff, employed in the various offices 1861 at the Admiralty and Royal dockyards; how many reports from these Committees have been received; and how many have been given effect to?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)Three Committees have been appointed, and four Reports have been issued. Some, but not all of the recommendations of these Committees have been adopted.
§ Mr. C. DUNCANasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the rate of pay of the members of the clerical staffs of the Admiralty and Royal dockyards below the rank of senior writer remains practically the same as fixed in 1879; whether Treasury concurrence with the Admiralty proposals based on the Macnamara Staffing Report has been obtained; if so, can a reply now be given to the petition of the Admiralty and Outports Clerical Federation, dated January, 1908; and, if a final reply has not yet been received from the Treasury, will he take steps to obtain one to enable a reply to be given to the petition referred to?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Treasury concurrence has not yet been obtained in respect of certain of the proposals of the Board of Admiralty arising out of the recommendations of the Committee in question.