§ DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether the same or similar Regulations exist permitting naval medical officers to serve on courts martial as is the case with officers of the Army Medical Staff; and, if not, can he state the reason for this difference?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)The Regulations do not admit of naval medical officers serving on courts martial. In common with officers of the other 30 civil branches of the Navy they are debarred from this duty by Section 58 of the Naval Discipline Act, which lays down that—
No officer shall be qualified to sit as a member of any court-martial, unless he be a flag officer, captain, commander, or lieutenant of Her Majesty's Navy on full pay.The conditions of the two Services widely differ; in the Navy it has always been held desirable that the military branch only should deal with questions of discipline.