HC Deb 24 May 1939 vol 347 cc2292-3
52. Mr. Annesley Somerville

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty why some officers in the Navy under the age of 30 years with the rank of lieutenant receive a marriage allowance and other officers of the same age and the same duties are not allowed to receive marriage allowances?

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty (Mr. Shakespeare)

No payments of marriage allowance to lieutenants under 30 years of age have been authorised. I might add, however, that any warrant officers who may be promoted direct to lieutenant's rank under the scheme promulgated last March, and who are already in receipt of marriage allowance, will continue to receive it.

55. Vice-Admiral Taylor

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the age at which officers and men of His Majesty's Navy will receive marriage allowance is to be lowered so as to conform with that announced for the Army by the Secretary of State for War?

Mr. Shakespeare

As stated by the Prime Minister on the introduction of the Military Training Bill, it is the intention that the qualifying age at which men of the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines will become eligible for payment of marriage allowance should be reduced to 20 years. The date for the introduction of this change has not yet been settled. The reduction will also apply to warrant officers.