§ Sir J. LEIGHasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the cost of the Admiralty Office is now £1,280,400, as compared with £483,500 in 1914, and that the cost is now greater than it was during the war years of 1915–17; what are the causes of this great increase of expenditure; and if it would be possible to effect large economies without impairing the efficiency of the Service?
§ Commander EYRES-MONSELLThe reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The causes of this increase are.
- (1) It is only since the years 1916–17 that the War Bonus has been granted to provide for the increased cost of living.
54 - (2) The large numbers of naval officers serving at the Admiralty during the War were provided for under Vote 1, and were not shown under the cost of the Admiralty Office.
- (3) Increased scales of pay to both the naval and civil staffs in common with the whole naval and civil services.
- (4) The abnormally long hours worked by the staff during war years which is impossible under normal peace conditions.
- (5) The liquidation of war work, the issue of prize money and medals, and generally the greater attention paid to welfare questions. There is much greater complexity in the Regulations affecting the pay and allowances of all classes of employés and the development of war material has necessarily caused a greater variety of stores to be maintained and accounted for.
With regard to the latter part of the question, every effort is being made to effect economies and reductions as stated by my right hon. Friend the First Lord in his statement accompanying the Navy Estimates.