§ Mr. Bevanasked the Secretary for War (1) under what Article of the Royal Warrant for Pay, Promotion, etc., paymasters are promoted; and why there has been no promotion to substantive captain of emergency paymasters, excepting such cases as have reverted from a higher rank;
(2) under what Article of the Royal Warrant for Pay, Promotion, etc., assistant paymasters appointed supervisory officers are paid; and why, since such officers have been promoted from the ranks they are not permitted to count their prior service for pay in the same manner as a paymaster appointed supervisory officer;
(3) if he will take steps to rectify the anomaly whereby an emergency officer promoted to assistant paymaster can and is promoted substantive captain after three years' service whilst an emergency officer appointed paymaster can never be promoted substantive captain unless by reversion from a higher rank.
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§ Sir J. GriggPaymasters hold similar commissions to combatant officers. They receive acting, temporary and war substantive promotion in relation to the vacancies which they are filling in war establishments under Articles 178 to 182 of the Pay Warrant. Regular paymasters also receive substantive promotion by time under Article 163. Paymasters are paid on the time scales in Article 287. Under Article 431 (m), these time scales reckon service in the ranks partly as commissioned service.
Assistant paymasters hold commissions as such, and remain assistant paymasters throughout their service. In common with all other officers of the quartermaster class, they are promoted and paid on time scales under Articles 158 and 289 respectively. Under Article 431 (m) these time scales do not take other rank service into account. Instructions were issued in 1940 and amended in 1941 whereby assistant paymasters when filling appointments of staff paymaster are paid under Article 287.
Under Army Order 214 of 1940 and Article 287 of the Pay Warrant as amended by Amendment No. 105, both paymasters and assistant paymasters appointed supervisory officer receive £I 1s. a day on appointment and £I 2s. a day after three years as supervisory officer, if not otherwise entitled to more.
The only substantive promotion in the Army at present is the promotion of Regular officers by time or by vacancies in peace establishments. The only war substantive promotion is by time or by the granting of temporary rank one grade higher. Non-Regular paymasters receive war substantive promotion under the same rules as combatant officers. Non-Regular assistant paymasters receive war substantive promotion under the same rules as other quartermasters, which exclude the benefit of the combatant rules.