§ Sir T. BRAMSDONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty why, if it was considered necessary owing to the drastic reductions of the Fleet not to fill the vacancies which occurred in June, November, and December of 1921, for paymaster lieutenants promoted from commissioned writers, and also because the post-War complement of accountant officers has not yet been fixed, six paymaster commanders were promoted to the rank of paymaster captain on the 31st December, 1921, and 1st January, 1922, respectively, observing that the paymaster captains list is now overborne by three on an immediate pre-War basis?
§ Mr. AMERYThe number of paymaster captains allowed before the War was admittedly very low with regard to the proportion of officers of this rank allowed in other branches, and one of the recommendations of the Halsey Committee was that the number should be increased. This and other questions relating to the accountant branch have been for some time under the consideration of the Board, and as a temporary arrangement until the whole matter has been settled, it has been decided to retain the pre-War number of paymaster captains, together with three supernumerary posts which were instituted during the War. Full scope exists for the employment of this number of officers of this rank.