MR. P. O'BRIENI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will explain why pensions are allowed to the widows of Coastguard officers who previously served in the Royal Navy, but the widows of officers who were recruited from other branches of the Public Service are not allowed pensions; and whether he will see that the widows of all officers are treated alike?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord G. HAMILTON, Middlesex, Ealing)There are certain officers of the Coastguard who joined the Service when it was under the control of the Board of Customs. These men entered under the Civil Service Regulations, and have retained the right to be pensioned as civilians under the Superannuation Acts. They possess the privilege of remaining in the Service five years longer than the men who joined the Service from the Navy, and their pensions are higher than the naval pensions. On the other hand, by a rule which applies to all Civil servants without exception, their widows are not entitled to pensions from the State, unless the husband's death was directly caused by the Service. In this particular 982 only are the civilian Coastguard officers at any disadvantage as compared with their naval colleagues, and in all other respects their position is superior.