§ Sir HERBERT NIELDasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that temporary clerks in the employ of record offices are only in receipt of a salary of £2 16s. 6d. per week to commence with, which is increased by 1s. 2d. after one year's service, 3s. 6d. after two years' service, and 5s. l1d. after three years service; that their maximum salary is £3 2s. 5d.; and that men who have recently been demobilised are therefore in receipt of less pay than men who have been employed in a civil capacity for over three years, and who have never been in the Service; and whether, having regard to the present cost of living, he will take steps to have the matter adjusted and ensure that a demobilised man shall not receive less than one who has not been in the Army?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe rates in London record offices (to which the question is2042W understood to refer) are, under the latest award of the Conciliation and Arbitration Board, 57s. 8d. in the first year of service, 60s. in the second, and 62s. 5d. in the third and subsequent years. If my hon. Friend's suggestion is that any man who has served in the Army should be advanced at once to the maximum of any scale depending upon length of service, I am afraid I cannot adopt it.
§ Major TRYONasked the Secretary of State for War why lieutenants doing duty on the establishment of record offices are graded for pay as HH, while some captains on the same establishment receive only regimental pay and allowances; and on what principal are some of these officers graded as FF and GG?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe normal basis of emolument for officers in record offices is regimental pay and allowances. In certain cases officers have been graded for pay otherwise. There is no intention of extending such gradings.