70. Rear-Admiral CAMPBELLasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what the duties of the Paymaster Director General will be in connection with the reoganisation of the Accountant-General's Department of the Admiralty; and whether the Paymaster Director General is consulted previous to any alterations in pay or emoluments of officers and men in the Royal Navy and Marines?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Lord Stanley)The merger that is being made between the Secretary's department and the Account-ant-General's department does not in itself affect the duties of the Paymaster Director General and his department. The functions of the latter department 2087 are, however, also at present under consideration, but I am not as yet able to say what changes, if any, will be made in them. The subjects referred to in the last part of the question are within the responsibility of the Board of Admiralty, who take such advice on them as they consider requisite.
Rear-Admiral CAMPBELLCan the Noble Lord say whether the Paymaster Director-General was consulted about the cuts in the pay of the Naval service in September last?
Lord STANLEYI cannot say what specific departments were consulted, but the decision was taken on the responsibility of the Board of Admiralty as a whole, and the Board represents all the departments of the Admiralty.
Rear-Admiral CAMPBELLWill the Noble Lord take into consideration the fact that the Paymaster Director-General is the one man at the Admiralty who has spent his life among the men afloat and who knows their living conditions?