Major NEWMANasked the Secretary of State for War whether ranker executive officers, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, and quartermasters attached Royal Army Ordnance Corps, when performing administrative duties, only receive extra duty pay at 2s. 6d. per diem, whilst the attached regimental and temporary officers, with less knowledge of their duties, receive 5s. per diem; and, if so, will he take steps to place all officers performing equal work on the same scale for extra duty pay?
Captain GUESTExecutive officers of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps receive, besides their regimental pay, continuous additional pay varying from 1s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. a day for the performance of corps 1111W duty. The extra duty pay of 2s. 6d. a day is a further addition granted when administrative duties are performed. The comparison made by my hon. and gallant Friend is not, therefore, a comparison of like with like.
Major NEWMANasked the Secretary of State for War whether it is contemplated to transfer some of the temporary officers of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps to the administrative staff; and, if so, will an opportunity be given to the executive officers of competing, the latter officers having considerable experience in Royal Army Ordnance Corps duties and many of them having already filled important administrative positions during the War?
Captain GUESTI would ask my hon. and gallant Friend to refer to the full statement made on the 18th February in answer to three questions on this subject put by my Noble and gallant Friend the Member for Aldershot, in the course of which it was explained that as a tentative measure, it is under consideration to extend to certain carefully selected executive officers the same facilities for acquiring technical and administrative training as is found practicable for entrants from elsewhere.
Major NEWMANasked the Secretary of State for War whether there is any difference, and, if so, what, between the pay and allowances of the administrative and ranker class of officers, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, whilst the latter are performing administrative duties as Ordnance officers, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd class or A.D.O.S. or D.A.D.O.S?
Captain GUESTThe pay of an executive officer of the Royal Army Ordnance Department performing administrative duty varies from 14s. 6d. to 22s. 6d. a day, according to length of service and departmental grading. That of an Ordnance officer of the administrative establishment varies from 22s. 6d. (4th class) to 35s. (1st class). The allowances are dependent upon circumstances, and are too varied to be stated in reply to a question.
Major NEWMANasked the Secretary of State for War whether the War Office refuses to promote the ranker class of major, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, and quartermasters to lieutenant-colonel as a reward for war service unless they have eighteen years' commissioned service, in 1112W spite of the fact that paragraph 331, as amended, of the Royal Warrant, 1914, lays down that a step of rank up to lieutenant-colonel may be conferred for distinguished service in the field or of an exceptional nature other than in the field?
Captain GUESTEighteen years' commissioned service on full pay is normally required before an officer of the quartermaster class can be advanced to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, but exceptions may be made in the case of an officer who has rendered exceptionally good service, and has served in the field during the present War for an aggregate of two years. In this case promotion is permissible after fifteen, years' commissioned service on full pay I think my hon. and gallant Friend may have overlooked the fact that the normal period of commissioned service required under the Royal Warrant for promotion to major is fifteen years. During the War ordinary promotion to major has been allowed after thirteen years.
Major NEWMANasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give the strength of the Regular officers of the administrative section. Royal Army Ordnance Corps, together with the total number of honours, decorations, and brevet promotions, awarded to them since 4th August, 1914; and the strength of the Regular officers of the executive (rankers) section, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, and the total number of honours, decorations, and promotions awarded to them since 4th August, 1914?
Captain GUESTThere are 127 administrative and 177 executive officers of the Regular permanent establishment of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps now serving (exclusive in each case of retired officers re-employed). The total numbers of honours, decorations, and brevet or other promotions conferred on these officers sire, respectively, 169 and 55.