§ 47. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Prime Minister what remuneration is proposed for the Secretary of State for Air; and whether he will be a Member of the Cabinet?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe remuneration proposed for the Secretary of State for Air is £3,000; the answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWas not the formation of the Secretary-ship of State for Air intended to carry with it Cabinet rank? Why, if the heads of the Army and the Navy are in the Cabinet, is not the head of the Air service also in the Cabinet? Is it not putting the Air service in an inferior position?
§ Mr. HOGGEIf the Minister without Portfolio does nothing, and gets £5,000, why does the Secretary of State for Air, who does something, get only £3,000?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIf the hon. Member will read the report of a Committee of this House, he will observe that it recommends that the Minister without Portfolio sitting in the Cabinet, or the equivalent of the Minister without Portfolio sitting in the Cabinet, should receive £5,000, and that the Minister of one of these offices analogous to that of the Secretary of State for Air not sitting in the Cabinet should receive £3,000. The Government have thought it well in this case to follow the recommendations of the Committee.
§ Mr. HOGGEDoes the right hon. Gentleman intend to apply the recommendations of that Committee to all officers of the Cabinet?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINNo. The Government have not been able to consider up to date the recommendations of the 1712 Committee as a whole, nor do I think the moment very opportune for recasting the whole of the salaries of the Cabinet.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWhy is the Secretary of State for Air put in the inferior position of not being a Member of the Cabinet?