MR. PLATT-HIGGNS () Salford, N.To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that the Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Station has laid it down that for purposes of official entertainments engineer officers of the rank of Inspectors of Machinery shall rank with Commanders in command;and whether, in view of the fact that, according to the King's and Admiralty instructions, Inspectors fo Machinery have the relative rank of Captain, he will take steps to ensure that these officers shall not be for social purposes degraded below their proper rank.
(Answered by Mr. Arnold-Forster.) No information has reached the Admiralty to the effect stated in the hon. Member's Question, but inquiry will be made, and 837 I shall be happy to answer a further Question on the subject when the reply has been received.