§ Mr. REMERasked the Minister of Labour what qualifications and experience are possessed by the Controller of the Civil Liabilities Department beyond the experience gained when Controller of the Department dealing with retail licences at St. Ermin's Hotel, from which Department he was transferred; why was he allowed to take all his staff with him; whether his salary was fixed by the present President of the Board of Trade, who made his appointment; and whether the sole reason for making the appointment was to displace a civilian in order to make room for him?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAOn more than one occasion recently I have taken an opportunity, in replying to questions relating to the administration of the Civil Liabilities Department, to express my confidence in Captain McClellan, the present Controller, and my gratitude for the very considerable work that he has accomplished in effecting far-reaching improvement in the work of the Department. With regard to the second part of the question, it is not the fact that the whole of the Controller's old staff was transferred to Civil Liabilities Department, but only a proportion of the most experienced and efficient officers. With regard to the third part of the question, the salary was fixed by the present President of the Board of Trade, then Minister of Labour, with the concurrence of the Treasury. With regard to the last part of the question, the appointment was made when the officer previously in charge, a permanent Civil Servant loaned by the Ministry of Health, was recalled by his old Department.