§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord whether he can give the House any details as to the improved scale of pay to be given to ships' stewards from January next; and whether he will consider the advisability of granting this racing warrant rank and raising the pay of ships' stewards' boys from 7d. to 1s. per day and increasing the allowance paid to head stewards, so that the dignity of the office may be properly maintained?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe information asked for in the first part of the hon. Member's question is contained in Circular Letter No. 54 of the 15th December, 1910. The improved scale of pay for existing ratings will not, as assumed by the hon. Member, take effect from January next, but has already taken effect from the 1st January last. With regard to the second and fourth parts of the question, there is no need to consider the advisability of granting warrant rank to the ship's steward class, as the warrant rank of head steward has already been established for this class by Circular Letter No. 106 of the 29th November, 1909. The allusion to "the 21 allowance paid to head stewards" is not understood; no allowance other than the usual outfit allowance granted to warrant officers on promotion is payable to head stewards, whose scale of pay was fixed with due regard to their duties and position, and to pay of other warrant officers of similar standing. As regards the third part of the question, it is not considered that there are sufficient grounds for increasing the pay of ships' steward's boys.
§ Mr. JOHN WARDasked whether the pay of a private in the Marine Light Infantry is 1s. 2d., the majority of seamen 1s. 1d., and stokers 1s. 5d. per day; and how far these rates are above or below the rates of pay for men of similar rank in the ships of the Navy of the United States?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe rate of pay of a recruit in the Royal Marine Light Infantry is 1s. 2d. a day, but after six months' training it is raised to 1s. 4d., and on passing in naval gunnery to 1s. 5d. The pay of an ordinary seaman is 1s. 3d. a day, and of a stoker, second class, 1s. 8d. a day, but by far the greater number of the men of the seamen and stoker classes below leading rates are able seamen and stokers, first class, who receive 1s. 8d. a day and 2s. 1d. a day respectively. These are substantive rates of pay exclusive of any allowances. The corresponding rates of pay for men of similar rating in the United States Navy are higher, but the difference of the conditions in the two services does not admit of an exact comparison being made.