§ Captain W. G. HALL(by Private Notice) asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is able to give the House any information as to why ships of the Atlantic Fleet have been recalled?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY(by Private Notice) asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can make any statement about the reported unrest in the Royal Navy over pay cuts?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI have also a question from the hon. Member for North Portsmouth (Sir B. Fa11e). The Board of Admiralty have had under their earnest consideration the representations received from the Officer Commanding the Atlantic Fleet as to the hardships involved in certain classes of cases by the reductions ordered by His Majesty's Government in naval rates of pay. Their Lordships have directed the ships of the Atlantic Fleet to proceed to their home ports forthwith. Personal investigation will then be made by the Commanders-in-Chief and representatives of the Admiralty into those classes of cases in which it is alleged that the reductions press exceptionally on those concerned. His Majesty's Government have authorised the Board of Admiralty to make proposals for alleviating the hardship in these classes as soon as the facts have been ascertained by the contemplated investigation.
§ Captain HALLMay I ask the First Lord of the Admiralty to remember, when he and the Board of Admiralty go into this matter, that at the moment an able seaman suffers a 25 per cent. cut in salary, whereas the First Lord of the Admiralty and the rest of the Cabinet are suffering only 20 per cent. cut, and other members of the Government only 10 per cent.; and will he remember that these men, owing to the conditions of their service, are not in an adequate position to represent their case?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI cannot accept either of the assumptions of the hon. and gallant Gentleman. I deprecate questions of that kind, which, I am sure, are not in the interests of the Service.
§ Sir BERTRAM FALLECan the right hon. Gentleman assure me that any change in the incidence of pay can be arranged without the consent of this House, or is it necessary for this House to authorise them?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI do not think that any action by this House is called for as to any changes which investigations show to be desirable.
§ Mr. A. V. ALEXANDERWhile welcoming the announcement that a revision is to take place, may we ask the Prime Minister if he proposes to revise every one of the other proposed cuts?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am sorry that that question has been put to me by the right hon. Gentleman, as he knows perfectly well that, even when temporary consideration was being given to these blocks of cuts, it was clearly understood that each Department, when it produced the saving, could adjust internally the burden of the saving itself. That was a general rule laid down and applicable to all Departments.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYMay I ask the First Lord of the Admiralty why it is these investigations are being made now, and why the men's conditions were not inquired into by himself, on his own responsibility, before these cuts were announced?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThe hon. and gallant Member knows that this Government succeeded to a situation in which rapid action is essential—
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAIN—and the only information which I could make available when they were considering this matter was the information which had already been made available for my predecessor.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYDoes not the requisite machinery for—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. BUCHANANOn a point of Order. Should I be in Order in asking leave to move the Adjournment of the House?
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYOh, no! The hon. and gallant Member for Central Portsmouth (Captain Hall) has given notice about it. It is all arranged.
Commander LOCKER - LAMPSONOn a point of Order. [HON. MEMBERS: "Name!"] I am a very infrequent speaker and a still more infrequent questioner in the House, and I rose before anybody else to ask a Supplementary question.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThere does not seem to be any need for further supplementary questions.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEMay I put a point of Order?—[Interruption.]
Commander LOCKER - LAMPSONMay I—[HON. MEMBERS: "Name!"] I would rather be named if I cannot ask a question.
§ Captain HALLrose—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. and gallant Member has already asked a long supplementary question and has had two answers.
§ Captain HALLI ask leave—[HON. MEMBERS: "Name!"] I ask leave to move the Adjournment, of the House for the purpose of calling attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, "the abandonment of the Atlantic Fleet exercises on account of unrest over pay cuts."
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a matter which clearly does not come under the provisions of Standing Order No. 10. The matter could just as well be debated tomorrow as to-day.
§ Mr. THURTLEMay I put to you as a precedent the fact that when there was brought to his notice the fact that two battalions of the Guards were being disbanded the Speaker at that time accepted that as a definite matter of urgent public importance; and may I submit to you that a question of grave insubordination in our premier Service is indeed a matter of first importance, and of urgent importance?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member has referred me to a case which he thinks is similar to the present one. I have not had an opportunity of looking into that case, but it is quite obvious to me that the present circumstances would not justify me in accepting the Motion under Standing Order 10.
§ Mr. THURTLEMay I submit to you that this matter is both urgent and important, important in the highest degree and also urgent in the highest degree— 826 of great public importance. If this is not a matter upon which the Adjournment of the House may be moved, what matter is there?
§ Mr. SPEAKERCertainly this is not such a case.