80. Major MALONEasked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he can state the exact cost of the Corps of Military Accountants; and if it is intended to continue the corps as a regular branch of the Army;
(2) what is the cost to other units of the Army in respect to the introduction of the system of cost accounting; and what saving, if any, to the public has been consequent on the system?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Colonel Sir R. Sanders)I will answer these questions together. As regards the cost of the corps and the saving effected by cost accounting, I would refer to the reply given on 8th March last to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Lewisham East. It is intended to continue the corps as a regular branch of the Army. The cost of improved accounting to combatant units of the Army is nil; in the case of store depots and other establishments whose work more nearly approaches an industrial character there is some extra clerical work, the cost of which cannot be stated, but is not large.