§ Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH - COOKEasked what contribution per week in a self-supporting scheme would be necessary in order to insure hired workmen in the Royal dockyards 15s. a week maximum by way of pension at the age of sixty?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am not in a position to give the desired information. I can only refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave him on this subject on 20th February.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman is himself considering the question of making some arrangement by which pensions could be given to hired men?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAWe are looking into the question whether it would be possible 34 for the hired men themselves to build up a fund, but the matter is not so easy as the hon. Gentleman imagines.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWill not the question of contributions come in?
§ Dr. MACNAMARACertainly.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEThen surely the right hon. Gentleman ought to know.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether no person can sit for the examination for the position of an assistant storehouseman whose age exceeds 35; that this age limit not only deprives the Service of some excellent men, but renders it impossible in several places for men to compete who have been employed in the Naval Ordnance Depot for many years, whereas a man who may have been in the depot for only one year is eligible; and whether he can see his way to raise the age limit so that a larger proportion of the experienced men may be entitled to entry for the examination?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI presume that the hon. Member's question refers to the examination held for the situation of storehouseman, second grade. The limits of age for these examinations are twenty-two to forty-five: and successful candidates are eligible for appointment up to the age of fifty, provided that the examination list is still in force at the time of the vacancy.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked whether any progress has bean made with the petition forwarded to their Lordships by the Association of Royal Dockyards ex-Apprentices and Apprentices, which has been under consideration since the summer of 1910; and whether the Lords of the Admiralty are able to acquiesce in that part of the petition asking that apprentice time may be allowed to count for gratuity or pension?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe proposal to reckon apprentice time for pension or gratuity is still under the consideration of the Treasury. I understand that the question is one that affects boy service throughout the Civil Service.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWill the answer be given before the Naval Estimates are introduced?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am afraid I cannot say. It is a matter which affects other Departments.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWhen will the Naval Estimates be brought in?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThat does not arise out of the question on the Paper.