§ 15. Mr. FALLEasked if the right hon. Gentleman is aware that the average pay before retirement of chief petty officers, coastguard, is £64 without allowances, and that of chief officers £128, or 100 per cent. higher, whilst the average pensions of chief petty officers and chief officers, coastguard, during the last two years, differ only 5 per cent., or less than 10 per cent.; and whether he will consider the advisability of removing this disparity between the pay and pensions of these officers, seeing that it is the cause of discontent not existing in the corresponding ranks of naval services afloat?
Mr. LAMBERTThe average pay, before retirement, of chief petty officers and of chief officers, is as stated. The average pensions awarded on retirement at the age of fifty-five years to the two classes referred to have been during the past two years £50 10s. and £57, respectively, a difference of about 13 per cent. As regards the second part of the question, I must refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the Noble Lord the Member for Portsmouth on the 12th February and the 19th March.