HC Deb 19 May 1908 vol 189 cc61-2
Mr. BRAMSDON (Portsmouth)

To ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will explain why different scales of pay are given to turret gun-layers and turret sight-setters in the Navy, Royal Marine Light Infantry, and Royal Marine Artillery, respectively, that is to say, for the Navy 1s. and l0d. per day, the Royal Marine Light Infantry 9d. and 7d. per day, and the Royal Marine Artillery 8d.

Seamen. Marines.
R.M.A. R.M.L.I
Old system:
Turret gun-layer … 1s. 8d. 8d.
Turret sight-setter … 10d. 6d.. 6d.
Ratings Committee system:
Gun-layer first class … 8d. 8d. 8d.
Gun-layer second class … 6d. 6d. 6d.

So far as pay for higher shooting rates is concerned, the rates for seamen, Royal Marine Artillery, and Royal Marine Light Infantry are now the same, and a gun-layer first class (corresponding to the old rating of turret gun-layer) will receive 8d. a day, whether in his substantive rank he is a seaman, a blue marine, or a red marine. Similarly, a gun-layer second class will receive 6d. a day. My hon. friend's figures for the gunnery pay of the Royal Marine Light Infantry are not quite correct, as they include the 1d. T.M. He has evidently taken the combined pay as shown in Appendix XV. a, as being for turret gun-layers and turret sight-setters alone, and has not noticed that it includes 1d. a day for T.M.

and 6d. per day; and whether their Lordships can see their way clear to put both marine corps on the same basis as the Navy.

(Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The terms used in this Question, namely, turret gun-layer and turret sight-setter, are moribund as far as the Royal Navy is concerned, being those in force prior to the changes introduced by Circular Letter No. 96 of 16th August, 1907, which followed the recommendations of the Ratings Committee. The two gunnery ratings which correspond, as far as the difference of system admits, are gun-layer first class and gun-layer second class, and these terms will be applied to Marines also. The rates of pay compare as follows:—