Non-Combatant Posts (Appointments)

56.

 Sir A. Knox
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what number of appointments to non-combatant posts with a salary of £500 a year and over have been created since the declaration of war; and what number of these are held by men between the ages of 18 and 41?

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Captain Crookshank)
The information is, I regret, not available.

Sir A. Knox
Can my right hon. Friend say whether such appointments are looked after by the Treasury or is each Minister allowed to make any appointment he likes, at any salary?

Captain Crookshank
The Treasury is much concerned in all these matters.

Sir A. Knox
If the Treasury is concerned, why cannot the Treasury give a list of the appointments?

Captain Crookshank
The answer is that there are a great many things to do that are urgent to-day, and this would require a certain amount of investigation.

Mr. Stokes
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that if an ordinary business were run in this way it would go absolutely bankrupt?