Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Board of Admiralty

The Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Board of Admiralty was a position on the Board of Admiralty. It was normally filled by a Member of Parliament who, although not a member of the Board, served as the second to the First Lord of the Admiralty in Parliament.

History

By the provisions of the Order in Council of 14 January, 1869, the duties of the Parliamentary Secretary were broadly defined as:

The Parliamentary Secretary to be responsible to the First Lord of the Admiralty for the "Finance" of the Department, and the Civil Lord to act as an Assistant to the Secretary.

Under the provisions of the Order in Council of 19 March, 1872, the duties of the Parliamentary Secretary were:

The Parliamentary Secretary to be responsible to the First Lord for the Finance of the Department, and for so much of the other business of the Admiralty as may be assigned to him.

Duties

In 1885 the duties of the Secretary (by this time titled the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary) were fixed as:

1. Finance.
2. Estimates.
3. Expenditure generally.
4. Accounts.
5. Purchases and sales of Naval and Victualling stores.

These were expanded by December, 1888, to comprise:

1. Finance.
2. Estimates.
3. Expenditure generally.
4. All proposals for new and unusual Expenditure.
5. Accounts—Cash, Store, and Dockyard Expense.
6. Purchase and Sale of Ships.
7. Purchase and Sale of Stores generally.
8. Payment of Hire of Ships as Armed Cruisers, Troop Ships, Colliers, Freight Ships, &c.
9. All questions involving reference to the Treasury financially.
10. Exchequer and Audit Department—Questions with.

27 September, 1912.
1. Finance, Estimates and Expenditure generally, and all proposals for new and unusual Expenditure.
2. Accounts—Cash, Store, and Dockyard Expense.
3. Purchase and Sale of Ships, and of Stores generally.
4. Payment of Hire of Ships as Armed Merchant Cruisers, Troop Ships, Colliers, Freight Ships, &c.
5. Questions involving reference to the Treasury financially, except the less important Works questions dealt with finally by the Civil Lord.
6. Exchequer and Audit Department—Questions connected with.
7. General Labour Questions, including Annual Petitions.

27 June, 1917.
Finance, Estimates and Expenditure and Accounts, and proposals for new and unusual Expenditure generally.
Contract business except as dealt with by the Controller.
Sale of Ships and Stores.
Payment of Hire of Ships.
Questions involving reference to the Treasury financially, except the less important Works questions dealt with finally by the Civil Lord.
Exchequer and Audit Department—Questions connected with.
General Labour Questions, including Annual Petitions. (See Note under Controller.)

Parliamentary and Financial Secretaries to the Board of Admiralty

Dates of appointment given:

• The Right Honourable Arthur B. Forwood, M.P., 6 August, 1886.
• The Right Honourable Sir Ughtred James Kay-Shuttleworth, Bart., M.P., 24 August, 1892.
• The Honourable William G. Ellison-Macartney, M.P., 4 July, 1895.
• The Honourable Hugh O. Arnold-Forster, M.P., 20 December, 1900.
• The Honourable Ernest G. Pretyman, M.P., 13 October, 1903.
• The Right Honourable Edmund Robertson, K.C., M.P., 21 December, 1905.
• The Right Honourable Thomas J. Macnamara, L.L.D., M.P., 16 April, 1908.