I move that the Bill be now read a Second Time.
This is a Bill to increase the salary payable to the Comptroller and Auditor General to £2,850 per annum as from the 1st January last. In common with the salaries of judges and civil servants, the salary of the Comptroller and Auditor General is controlled by statute and it has been the practice to increase this salary whenever judges' salaries are increased. Having regard to the salaries of heads of Departments, a salary of £2,850 is considered appropriate for the post of Comptroller and Auditor General, regard being had to the increased responsibility placed upon him in connection with the commercial audits of State-sponsored bodies.