§ Lieut.-Colonel POWNALLasked the Secretary of State for War whether one or more Committees to consider the carrying out of the Lawrence Report have now been set up; if so, who are their members whether the military members of the Army Council are represented; what are the terms of reference of such Committee or Committees; and when they are likely to report?
§ Mr. WALSHArising out of the Lawrence Committee Report, I have appointed a Departmental Committee to consider the detailed revision of accounting methods, on the basis of the maintenance of the general scheme of Army Accounts on "Cost" basis. The terms of reference are as follow
Assuming the maintenance both of the present general scheme of Army Accounts and of the existing organisation of pay duties, to consider, in the interests of economy and efficiency, what improvements and simplifications of the present system of accounting are possible; what parts of the old system of accounting can be eliminated; and what changes are desirable in the system and methods of departmental audit.The composition of the Committee is as follows:
Chairman:
1638W
- Mr. J. B. Crosland. C B. (Deputy Under-Secretary of State for War).
Members:
- Mr. J. J. Beard, C.B.E. (Army Audit Staff).
- Lieut.-Colonel G. H. Charlton, M.C. (Corps of Military Accountants).
- Colonel W. B. Lauder, C.B., C.M.G. (Royal Army Pay Corps).
- Mr. A. T. V. Robinson (Controller of Cost Accounts).
- Mr. C. F. Watherston, C.B (War Office Actuary and Director of Finance Designate).
- Mr. A. E. Watson, C.B.E. (Treasury Officer of Accounts).
Secretary:
- Mr. P. J. Bell, War Office.
The Committee will report to the Army Council, but it is not possible to say when. When this Committee on processes of Accounting has made sonic progress, I propose to appoint a different Committee to deal with the questions of personnel connected with the amalgamation of the Royal Army Pay Corps and the Corps of Military Accountants.