§ Mr. HOHLERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention had been directed to the fact that under the King's Regulations and Admiralty Instructions 1190 (14), sergeants of the Royal Marines, Classes II., III., and IV., who have been awarded a good conduct medal, 1854 can earn an addition of £1 a year only, with a maximum of £10, whilst under King's Regulations 738 (7) chief and first-class petty officers, who have received a like award, can earn an addition of £2 a year with a maximum of £15; whether under the King's Regulations sergeants in Classes II, III, and IV., and particularly Classes II. and III., are classed as holding rank equivalent to that of chief and first-class petty officers; and whether he would take steps to increase the annual addition and maximum the sergeants in the above classes can earn in accordance with the scale granted to chief and first-class petty officers?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. McKenna)The facts are as stated by the hon. Member. The conditions governing the terms of service, rates of pay, methods of awarding good conduct badges, pensions, etc., of marines and naval ratings respectively, differ in many important particulars. A difference in one particular only ought not to be considered without reference to the whole of the conditions. It is not proposed to make the change suggested in the question.