§ MR. BRAMSDON (Portsmouth)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, taking into consideration the fact that last year as many as 3,580 naval pensioners did not receive any Greenwich age-pensions, although qualified to receive them, that the average age of those actually receiving them was sixty-three years, that many deserving cases cannot be entertained owing to want of funds, and that the non-receipt by qualified Greenwich age-pensioners of the amounts which they believe are due to them is a long-standing grievance among them, their Lordships will be good enough to arrange for satisfaction to be accorded them in the matter.
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. EDMUND ROBERTSON, Dundee)Naval pensioners who may be eligible for Greenwich Hospital age-pensions are not entitled to them unless there are funds available. The whole of the amount now available (£100,900 per annum) is expended, and the Admiralty can hold out no hope of being able to supplement it from Navy votes.
§ MR. ARTHUR LEE (Hampshire, Fareham)Can the right hon. Gentleman state the amount by which the Treasury supplement the fund, which is admittedly insufficient, and will he approach the Treasury with a view to secure an increase?
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONwas understood to say that the present contribution was about £16,000. As to the second part of the question he was afraid that the answer already given covered that.