HC Deb 04 March 1919 vol 113 cc289-90

Motion made, and Question proposed,

"That a Supplementary sum, not exceeding £10, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1919, for Pay, etc., of the Army."

Mr. BALDWIN

I must apologise for the absence of the Secretary of State for War, who has been called away to a meeting of the Council, which he was obliged to attend. He has asked me to take charge of this Vote for him. This is one of the purely technical Votes that we have at this tune of the year, and it sanctions the application of Appropriations-in-Aid. There have been presented during the War at this period of the financial year, Votes similar to this each year for the Army and for the Navy, and I have to ask the Committee to sanction these Appropriations in the form in which they appear on the Paper.

Major NEWMAN

I wish to put before the Committee the treatment which the War Office is meting out to certain officers of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps; in other words, to ranker officers, who correspond, of course, to quartermasters or riding masters in the Infantry or Cavalry. They are men who have joined the Army as privates—

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN

It is not in order now to discuss the general policy of the War Office. That took place yesterday. This is simply a Supplemental Vote, and the only question which can be discussed is the method of using the Appropriations-in-Aid as mentioned on the Paper.

Major NEWMAN

Shall I be in order in discussing the pay of officers?

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN

No.

Question put, and agreed to.