Superintendent of Parliamentary Returns and Clerk of Parliamentary Accounts 1812-70

Before 1812 the responsibility for the accounts and returns submitted to parliament by the Treasury rested with one of the Chief Clerks. In that year it was entrusted to one of the Assistant Clerks in the Revenue Department with the title of Superintendent of Parliamentary Returns and an allowance of £400 in addition to his salary. (fn. 1) The post lapsed in 1821, the work being carried on by the Assistant Superintendent, W. O. Adrian, an Extra Clerk. In 1823 another Extra Clerk, C. L. Crafer, was appointed Clerk of Superannuation Returns with a salary of £300. (fn. 2)

In 1824, in view of the increasing complexity of the returns, a new post of Clerk of Parliamentary Accounts was created and conferred upon Spearman, who was at the same time appointed an Assistant Clerk in the Revenue Department and given an additional allowance of £400. (fn. 3) In 1825 the office of Clerk of Superannuation Returns was abolished and Crafer was also appointed an Assistant Clerk in the Revenue Department with an additional allowance of £50. (fn. 4) Spearman, who was appointed Auditor of the Civil List in 1831, retained responsibility for parliamentary accounts until 1834 when he was succeeded by Crafer with an additional allowance of £100 which was raised to £150 in 1836. (fn. 5) In 1854 the work of the office was divided between two Clerks one of whom was responsible for the annual estimates and the other for the rest of the business. Both received additional allowances of £100. (fn. 6) In 1856 the allowances were discontinued and it was provided that the office of Clerk of Parliamentary Accounts should be held by a First Class Clerk. (fn. 7)

LISTS OF APPOINTMENTS

Superintendent Of Parliamentary Returns

Clerk Of Parliamentary Accounts

Footnotes