CAPTAIN PRICEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether it is the case that new regulations have been issued in the Navy with respect to Greenwich Hospital Pensions, and if he will state the nature of them; and, whether these regulations will curtail the prospective advantages to men now serving under the continuous service agreements, or if they are merely to apply prospectively to future entries?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHSir, new regulations have not yet been issued; but they have been approved by Her Majesty in Council, and will shortly be 1471 published. The nature of the regulations is to limit for the future the number of Greenwich Hospital age pensions in force at any one time to 7,500, originally estimated at 5,000, and also to limit to a total sum of 2s. 6d. a-day the amount of combined pensions which a man can receive from Greenwich and public funds. This change will not affect any persons who are already in receipt of Greenwich Hospital age pensions. The change is rendered necessary by the rapid increase which is going on in the charge for these pensions, which has grown from £46,500 in 1866–7 to £78,200 in 1878–9. The change will affect all men not at present in receipt of Greenwich age pensions; but the regulations for the grant of Greenwich Hospital age pensions does not form any part of the conditions under which men enter the Navy for continuous service.