§ 15. Sir P. DAWSONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether a large increase has been made in the number of the civil posts in the Admiralty; why there are three private assistant secretaries at from £1,200 to £1,500 a year, plus war bonus, in 1921 as compared with one in 1914; why there are eight assistant secretaries in 1921 at £1,000 to £1,200, plus war bonus, as compared with six in 1914; and why there are 15 principal clerks at £700 to £900 a year, plus war bonus, in 1921 as compared with nine in 1914?
§ Mr. AMERYAll the facts in connection with this reorganisation of the higher civil staff of the Admiralty were given to the House in my answer to a question by the hon. and gallant Member for Hull Central on 15th June last, to which I would refer the hon. Member. I explained in that reply that the changes made were not special to the Admiralty, but were in pursuance of a scheme of reorganisation adopted for all the more important Government Departments, with a view to more efficient financial control, and particularly to carry out the Government's decision that the Permanent Secretary and his staff are to be charged with enlarged duties and responsibilities in regard to such control. The precise number of higher civil posts required is settled by the Treasury from time to time with reference to the needs of the Department, and when the heavy administrative work attendant upon the reduction of the fleet and its establishments to the scale rendered possible by the Washington Conference is completed, the number of these posts will be reduced.