§ 1. Mr. Banfieldasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that although there appear to exist in his Department no reasonable facilities for promotion of experienced staffs in the War Office it has declined to allow those officers to respond to the invitation of the Air Ministry for experienced staffs to 1558 transfer; and whether he will take steps to ensure that the experience of the officers in his Department is made available to the State during the present period of rearmament by employing them upon work commensurate with their experience in the War Office or permitting them to transfer to other Departments requiring experienced staffs?
§ The Secretary of State for War (Mr. Duff Cooper)Owing to the extreme pressure of work at the War Office and the difficulty of securing trained staff at the present time, it is necessary to impose a strict limitation on the transfer of experienced officers. The grading of the clerical posts at the War Office is continuously under review, and active consideration is now being given to it.
§ Mr. BanfieldDoes the right hon. Gentleman recognise the necessity for coordination between the different Departments and the staff?
§ Mr. CooperCertainly.
§ 2. Mr. McEnteeasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that, as a consequence of the undergrading of work in his Department and the employment of experienced officers upon duties carrying responsibilities in excess of those appropriate to their grade, promotion opportunities in the War Office are less favourable than in the other Defence Ministries; and whether he will take steps to relieve the situation as far as possible by ensuring that posts are filled by officers of appropriate grading?
§ Mr. CooperThe grading of the clerical posts at the War Office is continuously under review and is under active consideration at the present time.
§ Mr. McEnteeIn view of the delay in filling the higher posts, the duties of which are now being carried out by lower-paid officers, and the unfairness of it, will the right hon. Gentleman speed up the filling of these posts by lower-paid officers, so that they may get the salaries appropriate to those higher posts?