§ 13. Colonel Sir ARTHUR HOLBROOKasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of a recent Regulation issued to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps calling upon warrant officers to qualify as clerks, Class I, before promotion to the rank of conductor; and whether, seeing that the only effect of this order is that these warrant officers who are ammunition examiners and have been many years in the service must now qualify in shorthand and typewriting, which should be the work of junior clerks and not of men so senior in the service, he will reconsider the Regulation?
§ Commodore KINGMy hon. and gallant Friend is under a misapprehension. There has been no recent change in the Regulations as to the qualifications required for promotion to the rank of conductor in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, nor is it necessary for candidates to qualify as clerks, Class I. But there are two rates of pay for which conductors are eligible, and the higher, or tradesmen's rate, is only granted in the case of men, who are not already tradesmen, provided that they qualify as clerks, Class I.