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Cost per £100,000 gross expenditure on Clothing,
Equipment, General Stores and Wages (Votes 7

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£405

and 8) The increase in numbers in 1926-27 compared with 1913-14 is due mainly to new work connected with tanks, dragons and armoured cars and with the War Department Constabulary.

It should be pointed out that, as already indicated in the reply to the question concerning the cost of this directorate in 1926, the volume of work with which it has to deal cannot be measured solely by the amount of morey included in Estimates as administered by the Director of Equipment and Ordnance Stores.

THE WAR OFFICE.

2nd July, 1926.

Additional Information for the Estimates Committee with Reference to Question 1848.

Question.

The total numbers and cost of Supplies and Transport Directorate and cost per £100,000 expended on Supplies and Transport (excluding

Remounts) Votes 6 and 7 for 1913-14.

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The increase in rumbers in 1926-27 compared with 1913-14 is due mainly to the increase of Mechanical Transport in the Army.

It should be pointed out that, as already indicated in the reply to the question concerning the cost of this directorate in 1926, the volume of work with which it has to deal cannot be measured solely by the amount of money included in Estimates as administered by the Director of Supplies and Transport.

TE WAR OFFICE.

2nd July, 1926.

Additional Information for the Estimates Committee with Reference to Questions 1926 to 1931.

The number of Civilian Employees of the War Department in receipt of civil service bonus (including the War Office but excluding the Ordnance Factories) is estimated at about 11,000.

THE WAR OFFICE.

1st July, 1926.

Additional information for the Estimates Committee with Reference to Questions 1934 to 1938.

The number of pensions reviewable by the War Office is estimated as follows:

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Remarks.

1,300

Some 9,000 officers pensions are subject to
variation with the cost of living, and
are reviewed once in three years.
These pensions are reviewed annually,
having regard to the recipients' medical
conditions.

The amount awarded depends to some
extent on the means of the recipient,
and the pensions are reviewed annually
in this connection.
The amount awarded depends to some
extent on the mesns of the recipient,
and the pensions are reviewed triennially
in this connection.

The award depends on the recipients'
medical conditior, &c., and is reviewed
at least once a year in this connection.
Pre-war pensions where the total income
of the recipient is under £150 (or in
married cases £200) may be increased
under the Pensions Increase Acts, and
are reviewed annually in this connec-
tion. A large number of the cases is
included in the numbers shown under
classes 1 to 4 above.

B. Gratuities.

The number of gratuities awarded annually by the War Department is estimated at

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Cambridge University Air Squadron.

The objects of this unit are to promote the flow of candidates for commissions in the Royal Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Auxiliary Air

Force; to provide facilities for study for those wishing to take up aeronautics as a profession; and (a matter to which great importance is attached) to secure for the Air Ministry the assistance of the notable scientific talent available at Cambridge in the solution of the major outstanding problems of aeronautical research.

The strength of the unit at the present time is as follows:(a) Instructional Staff

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2 officers and 2 airmen 33 of whom

about half are students in engineering or mechanical science; 4 of these intend to enter the Aircraft Industry on completion of their University training. About 50 per cent. of the total number of the strength have already signified their intention of applying for commissions in the Regular, Special Reserve, or Auxiliary Air Force, or the Reserve of Air Force Officers.

The number of applicants has largely exceeded the number budgetted for (25) in the current year and the strength will be increased to 50 next term.

The accommodation included in the item No. 8 in part 1 Vote 4B. for which a total sum of £3,450 has been provided is as follows:

1. Hangar steel framed size 50 feet by 40 feet to take 1 aeroplane, fully equipped.

2. Engine Workshop timber-framed 60 feet by 20 feet.

3. Lecture Room timber framed 55 feet by 25 feet.

The instruction for which this accommodation is provided includes lectures and practical work (where possible) in

(1) Principles of flying and airmanship.

(2) Principles of aeroplane construction and rigging.

(3) Aero engines, principles of design and construction.

(4) The development and use of aircraft.

(5) Wireless and electrical apparatus used on the ground and in the air.

(6) Air Navigation and Pilotage.

(7) Air Gunnery and bombing.

(8) Air photography and survey.

(9) Air instruments and accessories.

Royal Air Force Bands.

In the Royal Air Force only 2 bands are provided by establishment, viz:

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The Royal Air Force Central Band and
The Royal Air Force Cadet College Band.

The Central Band has an establishment of 1 Director of Music (Flight Lieutenant), 1 Sergeant Major 1st Class, 1 Sergeant Major 2nd Class, 31 Non-Commissioned Officers, and 51 Aircraftsmen; but of this establishment 23 Non-Commissioned Officers are held for attachment as Instructors to voluntary bands. The Royal Air Force has no special School of Music as have the Navy and Army, the Central Band undertaking all instructional work in music for the Royal Air Force. The Director of Music Commanding the Central Band is entirely responsible for the Band and the instructional and training work in music in the whole of the Royal Air Force.

The rank held by the present Director of Music is that of Flying Officer (Hon. Flight Lieutenant), but his pay does not depend on his rank, being that laid down for the Directors of Music in the Army (of whom there are understood to be seven). The rank held is considered to be justified by the responsibility of the post, there being no other officers

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in the Air Force corresponding to such posts as the Officer Commanding Kneller Hall (a Colonel) and the Superintendent of the Royal Naval School of Music (a Major R.M.).

The Director of Music whilst on detached duty has, and it is desirable that he should have, the same powers of punishment in regard to the men under his command as any other Officers Commanding of the same rank (these are defined in detail in paragraph 1111 of the King's Regulations and Air Council Instructions for the Royal Air Force).

The Royal Air Force Cadet College Band at Cranwell has a total establishment of 25 consisting of the Band-master (a Sergeant Major Class I) two Non-Commissioned Officers and 22 Aircraftmen.

The establishment of the Central Band as given above and that of the Band at Cranwell comprise all the paid musicians in the Royal Air Force, all other music services required being provided by Voluntary Bands.

The Voluntary band of a station or unit consists of airmen of any rank or trade qualification of the station or unit who are able and willing to take part in a band, but they undertake these duties in their spare time and no men are allowed on the station or unit establishment for band duties. The duties of bandmaster and instructor of a voluntary band are undertaken by one of the 23 Non-Commissioned officers referred to above as borne on the establishment of the Central Band for this purpose, or. if such a Non-Commissioned Officer is not available, by an airman serving at the station. There is no stipulation that the Officer Commanding a unit or station must be of a certain rank before a voluntary band can be formed.

There are 31 voluntary bands in the Royal Air Force who participate in the grant of £1,000 (provided in Vote 9F.), which is distributed by the Director of Personal Services, Air Ministry, on the recommendations of the various Air Officers Commanding. There is no definite scale of grants laid down, the amount of each grant being limited according to the individual band's financial requirements as disclosed by the state of the band's funds and no grant is made unless it is clear that considerable and successful efforts have been made to the full extent of the unit's means to support a voluntary band. The only instruments supplied from public funds are trumpets and drums which are required for ceremonial purposes.

The only cost to the public of these voluntary bands is thus a grant averaging £32 a year, and the replacement of any trumpets and drums which may have become unserviceable; and in the case of 23 bands the pay and maintenance of a Non-Commissioned Officer Instructor.

AIR ESTIMATES VOTE 4 SUBHEAD B ITEM 1 (PAGE 39 OF AIR
ESTIMATES, 1926).

Aldergrove (near Belfast) Temporary Accommodation for one Special
Reserve Squadron.

The formation of service Air Squadrons on a non-regular basis is at present in its experimental stage. The Air Council has every reason to believe that the experiment will be successful, but felt that it would not be justified in providing permanent accommodation from the outset at Aldergrove, having regard to the comparative remoteness of Aldergrove from the bulk of the R.A.F. stations at home, and to the improbability that constant use could be made of the buildings if by chance the scheme for the formation of a Special Reserve Squadron had failed to justify itself. There was no uncertainty of policy on the part of the Air Council, but it was impossible to guarantee public response to that policy.

INDEX.

A.

Abbassia. Storage accommodation for explosives, Liddell 2886-8;
Nicholson 2887-Transfer of Air Force engine repair depot to
Aboukir, Liddell 2885, 2890-1.

Aboukir.-Transfer of Air Force engine repair depot from Abbassia to,
Liddell 2885, 2890-1.

Accommodation Committee under Sir Arthur Durrant, Barstow 382-4.

Accounting Departments.-Leith-Ross 190-4.

Accounting Systems of Government offices.-Committee of inquiry, Ross
3137-8.

Adastral House.-Lease of, Durrant 2202-7.

Admiralty.-See Navy.

Agriculture, Board of, for Scotland.-See under Scotland.

Agriculture and Fisheries, Ministry of, Vote, grouping.-Proposed,
Report p. 12-Question of, Leith-Ross 84-5.

Air Force and Air Ministry.-Accommodation, temporary, percentage,
Liddell 2718-9-Accounting system, inquiry into, by Government
Committee, Ross 3137-8-Aerodromes, carrying out of work by
Office of Works decided against by Mond-Weir Committee, Baines
1289- -Air officers commanding, delegation of financial responsi-
bility to, Ross 3130-1, 3132-4-Audit system, Ross 3091-3; Nichol-
son 3092- -Bands, Nicholson 2583, 2585-601; Air Ministry App. VI
(pp. 233-4). Cambridge University unit, 2nd Report 33;
Nicholson 2633-41; Air Ministry App. VI (pp. 232-3)- -Chief
Registrar, salary, Nicholson 3139-40- -Civil staff, bonus, Nicholson
3140-3.
Cloth and Clothing: Blue cloth v. khaki, Nicholson 3021-3- -Fixed
contract for certain quantity, to be taken as required, question of,
Brigstocke 3028, 3030; Nicholson 3028-30- -Making-up contracts,
Brigstocke 3012-3, 3017; Nicholson 3015, 3018-20- -Purchases,
method, Brigstocke 2955-7, 2962-5, 2997-3011, 3025-6; Nicholson
2957-9, 2965-70, 3003-4, 3006, 3009, 3011; Barstow App. IV. (pp.
226-7)-
-Sent to manufacturers, question of checking quantity and
number of uniforms received from, Nicholson 3046-50- -Testing of
samples and of goods on delivery, Nicholson 3031-45.

Coal purchases, Allum, 2107-9; Brigstocke 2903, 2911-40, 2948-52;
Nicholson 2904, 2934- Contractors, special advances to, Barstow
App. IV (p. 224).

Contracts Department: Abolition of, and purchase of all stores by
agency system, proposal not approved, Nicholson 3073-4-Irregular
procedure in placing a contract, Barstow 321-Staff, number and
cost, Nicholson 3071-2.

Cranwell Cadet College: Design for permanent college worked out by
Office of Works but scheme dropped, Nicholson 2607-Temporary
and semi-permanent building only, Nicholson 2607.
Departmental charges to, by other Government Departments, 2nd
Report App. (pp. xxx-xxxi)-
repayment, Nicholson 3150-2-
policy, Nicholson 2810-3.

56840

-Electricity and water issues and
-Establishments, variation in, due to

Air

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