Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state the total amount deducted from the pay of sailors and marines, respectively, in any recent financial year for hospital stoppage; and can he state the number of sailors and marines, respectively, serving in the same year?
§ Mr. McKENNAA complete statement of the abatements from the pay of seamen and marines on account of treatment in hospital cannot be given, as the regulations provide that continuous service men cease to be borne for pay after ninety-one days, and non-continuous service men after thirty days, in a home hospital, and in such cases no entries are made on either side of the accounts. It may be stated, however, that the sums deducted from the pay of continuous service men during the period from the thirtieth to the ninety-first day, for which time they are entitled to draw pay, less hospital stoppages, amount approximately to £3,500 a year. The average numbers borne during 1910–11, excluding officers, were as follows:—95,979 seamen; 6,180 boys; 2,778 coast guard; 16,678 Royal Marines.