§ 6. Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will undertake on behalf of the Government to provide the services of an actuary to consider any scheme for pensions drawn up by the hired workmen in His Majesty's dockyards free of charge to the men?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI received on Monday last a deputation of hired workmen from Chatham, Devonport, Portsmouth and Pembroke Yards in connection with a proposal which has been discussed by the hired men for some years past in favour of the establishment of some system of superannuation for these men, who, unlike the established men, are not eligible for pensions on retirement. The deputation placed before me various statements respecting the extent to which they thought that hired men would be able to contribute to such a scheme, which they realised must be self-supporting. I stated that I would consider whether, if 330 the definite outlines of a scheme were submitted, the men could be assisted by an actuarial statement as to the feasibility of their proposal. That I will do. But as the provision of actuarial advice does not entirely rest with the Admiralty, I cannot at this juncture undertake to give a definite reply to the question of the hon. Gentleman.
§ 7. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked what is the amount of the Government liability at the present time to hired workmen in His Majesty's dockyards in respect to gratuities?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe liability in respect of gratuities to hired workmen necessarily fluctuates from year to year according to the numbers of employés discharged. The estimated expenditure in the current financial year, 1913–14, is £13,500. I may add that during the ten years, 1902–3 to 1911–12, the sum of £169,864 was actually paid in gratuities.