HC Deb 06 May 1918 vol 105 cc1876-7W
Mr. T. WILSON

asked the Secretary to the Treasury why in formulating the scale of allowances and expenses to be paid to various officials in Ireland for carrying out their duties under the Representation of the People Act, 1918, the only person who is not specifically required to vouch his actual expenses is the registration officer, for whose work under the Act a salary is to be fixed and paid, whilst all other officers, whose services are to be paid for not by salary but out of the scale of allowance for expenses, are required to vouch their expenses by production of accounts, receipts, and declarations; is it the intention of the Treasury that the registration officers are to be remunerated not alone by the salary to be fixed for their services, but that, in addition, they are to be at liberty, if so disposed, to retain as further personal remuneration out of the scale allowed them for expenses such amount as they may be able to save in their expenditure on the necessary assistance; and if he will explain if the intention is that the minimum of £100 mentioned in the scale is to be paid regardless altogether of actual outlay?

Mr. BALDWIN

As a maximum limit was fixed for the out-of-pocket expenditure of registration officers, it was not considered necessary to insist on the production of vouchers for such expenditure, but it is clearly laid down in the formulated scale that only actual out-of-pocket expenditure will be allowed, and consequently it will not be possible for registration officers to retain as personal remuneration any savings on the maximum amount allowed for expenses. All claims of registration officers will be examined and checked before any recoupment of out-of-pocket expenses is made. The hon. Member appears to be under a misapprehension in thinking that the other persons engaged on registration duties are to draw remuneration for their services out of the scale of allowance for expenses. A separate scale has been authorised solely in respect of remuneration, and out-of-pocket expenditure is allowed in addition. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

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