HC Deb 28 December 1893 vol 20 cc335-6
Mr. PIERPOINT (Warrington)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether it is a fact that, if a widow receiving pensions from the Victoria fund and Admiralty fund supplements such pensions by working, her pensions are either partly or wholly withdrawn; whether it is a fact that no higher allowance out of the Victoria fund is made in respect of any widow of a seaman not-rated as an officer than 5s. per week; and how soon after the wreck the weekly payments to the widows were begun?

THE CIVIL LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. E. ROBERTSON,) Dundee

(who replied) said: No such Rule as that mentioned by the hon. Member is in force as regards any Admiralty fund. The Return which has been granted, on the Motion of the hon. Member for Devonport, will afford full information as to the allowances granted out of the Victoria fund.

* MR. T. H. BOLTON (St. Pancras, N.)

I should like to ask the hon. Gentleman whether, having regard to the very small annuities which the interest of the fund yields, he will consider the desirability of applying a portion of the capital or of the sinking a part of the capital in annuities so as to provide more money for the pensioners?

MR. E. ROBERTSON

I think the answer I have already given sufficiently explains my inability to reply to this question.

* Mr. T. H. BOLTON

Does not the hon. Member consider it within his province to make some representation to those who have the control of the Victoria fund, so that some reasonable arrangement can be made by which these poor people may obtain larger allowances?

MR. E. ROBERTSON

Unofficially, I should be very glad to forward any recommendation that the hon. Member may make.

MR. PIERPOINT

Surely the hot. Gentleman knows perfectly well whether there is or is not such a Rule in connection with the Victoria fund as I have indicated in my question.

MR. E. ROBERTSON

I am not aware that there is any such Rule.

MR. J. BURNS (Battersea)

Will the bon. Gentleman make such representations to the Commissioners as will prevent the bulk of the fund from going in the shape of salaries to the officials?

MR. GIBSON BOWLES

Is it not a fact that the fund is largely managed by naval officers under the control of the Admiralty?

MR. E. ROBERTSON

That is not so. It is managed by the Patriotic Fund Commissioners, and the Admiralty have nothing whatever to do with it. I should, therefore, be exceeding my duty if I wore to undertake to make representations to an independent Public Body which I have no power of enforcing.