§ MR. TREVELYANasked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether it is the case that, by the operation of recent orders, the Greenwich Hospital pensions, given in lieu of the benefits of the hospital, have been limited, wholly or in part, to men who consent to join the Naval Reserve; whether they have been, wholly or in part, withdrawn from the men whose good conduct and ability have been proved by their obtaining service pensions of a certain amount; and, whether a discretionary power of allotting or withholding these pensions, not contemplated when the hospital was abolished, has been assumed by recent orders; and, if so, what is the date of those orders?
§ MR. T. BRASSEYSir, the age pensions are given quite irrespective of any proviso that the recipients should join the Naval Reserve. But men who enter the Pensioner Reserve are allowed the privilege of receiving these pensions at 50 instead of 55 years of age, provided that they have completed the necessary drills. No pensioner is awarded the age pension at 55 years of age, if he is already in the receipt of a Government pension of 2s. 6d. a-day and upwards. At the present time every eligible pensioner above the age of 55 will receive the age pension, except those who are already in the receipt of a pension of 2s. 6d. a-day and those who are wholly able to contribute to their own support. I would 526 remind my hon. Friend that the Greenwich Funds are not unlimited, and that every effort is made to distribute them among the most necessitous and most deserving.