§ 79. Mr. J. DAVISONasked the Minister of Health whether, in sanctioning the appointment of a sanitary inspector in cases where, as a condition of the appointment, the officer has to defray his travelling and office expenses out of his salary, any consideration is given as to what would be a reasonable proportion of the salary devoted to such expenses in a district comprising a population of 10,165, if the officer is to discharge his duties efficiently: and, if so, can he state the result of such consideration in any particular case?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. In a recent case, I approved an increase in salary of £30 per annum mainly on account of travelling expenses. Office expenses are usually defrayed by the local authority.
§ 83. Mr. PARKINSONasked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the late Local Government Board in a memorandum, dated December, 1910, stated that the amount of the salary which should be paid to an inspector of nuisances will naturally vary with the circumstances of the district and of the appointment; that it should be sufficient, having regard to the conditions of employment, not merely to attract a competent man, but to induce him to remain in the service of the council; that the frequent change of sanitary officers, to which inadequacy of salary greatly conduces, is detrimental to administrative efficiency; that in large districts, particularly in rural districts, the efficient, discharge of the duties of an inspector of nuisances depends to a great extent upon the facilities which the officer possesses for getting about his district: and that in fixing the terms of an appointment the local authority should see that those terms do not afford any inducement to the officer to restrict the number of journeys which he undertakes in pursuance of his duties; and whether this represents the present policy of his Department?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI am aware of the memorandum referred to, and it sub- 2056 stantially represents the present policy of the Ministry with regard to appointments of sanitary inspectors.