§ 35. Captain W. BENNasked the Prime Minister what is the reason for the appointment of an additional Assistant Under-Secretary in the. Irish Office for the year 1922–23; is he directed by the Colonial Secretary or the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant; what is the reason for the additional staff at a cost of £14,500, and under whose control are they: does the Chief Secretary visit Ireland; and what staff in Ireland is under his control?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Sir Hamar Greenwood)A second Assistant Under-Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant was appointed in June, 1921, 656 and this is not, therefore, a new appointment for the current year. Of the two Assistant Under-Secretaries, one is in Dublin, and one is head of the Irish Office staff. As their title implies, both these officers are under the direction of the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant, but, as my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House explained yesterday in reply to a question by the hon. and gallant Member, both of them also assist the Secretary of State for the Colonies in dealing with such Irish matters as are within his jurisdiction. The item £14,500 in the Irish Office Estimate is to cover the cost of any additional staff which it may be necessary to appoint during the financial year. And as regards the necessity for such additional staff I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given on the 5th instant by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department on behalf of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to a question by the hon. Member for Kirkdale. It is anticipated that there will be a substantial saving on this item. The hon. and gallant Member will observe that the. Estimate provides for a decrease in the current financial year of no less than 60 per cent. in respect of salaries, etc., for the Chief Secretary's staff. The Chief Secretary does not now visit Ireland, but is quite ready to do so, if necessary. The staff under the Chief Secretary's control in Ireland consists of an Assistant Under-Secretary and a Principal Clerk, in addition to the staffs engaged in the administration of certain of the reserved services in Northern Ireland, and certain of the services in Southern Ireland which have not been transferred to the Provisional Government.
§ Captain BENNCan the Chief Secretary give us any idea of when he himself is likely to be functus officio?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODAt the earliest possible date, I hope.
§ Mr. DEVLINWill the right hon. Gentleman, on his visit to Ireland, organise some power of control over the Special Constabulary in Belfast?