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

Sir Thomas Baring, Bart. (later Lord Northbrook), First Lord from 1849 to 1852, told the Commons Select Committee on Official Salaries in 1850 that:

When the First Lord is in the House of Lords, the Secretary takes a good deal of the Estimate business; when the First Lord is in the House of Commons, the Secretary is in constant communication with the First Lord, and does a great deal of that duty; but he has not that entire superintendence of of it which he has when he represents the department in the House of Commons.

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.

On 8 February, 1917, it was announced that the Earl of Lytton had been appointed Additional Parliamentary Secretary to the Board in the House of Lords. He first attended a meeting of the Board on 19 February.

Duties

21 June, 1844.
The Principal Secretary chiefly directs his attention to all matters of a Political, Parliamentary, & Financial Character.

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.

Additional Parliamentary Secretary

• The Right Honourable The Earl of Lytton, February, 1917.