§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to the fact that men who have served as apprentices in Devonport Dockyard and become established are placed at a disadvantage in respect to their pensions compared with men who have entered as yard boys and become established; and whether, seeing that the apprentices have to pass a competitive examination and yard boys do not, he will take the necessary steps to remove this disadvantage, the disadvantage being that the former class of workman is only allowed to count his hired time for pension at the earliest from the age of twenty, while the latter class of workman has the privilege of counting his time for pension from the age of sixteen, thereby gaining two extra years?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. McKenna)The question is governed by the Superannuation Act of 1887, and I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who is responsible for the administration of that Act.