§ 8. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to the case of the 2480 men serving on the armed launches employed on the gun-running blockade in the Persian Gulf; whether he can see his way to give these men more leave than at present is the case; is he aware that in some cases the men have been on the station for over eighteen months with only forty-eight hours' leave; that their pay is irregular; and that often they have to wait for slops, soap, and tobacco for three or four months before receiving the usual month's allowance; and whether he will consider the possibility of so amending matters that the daily lives of these men may be made more comfortable than is now the case?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI will have inquiry made into these allegations. At the same time, I must point out that the service in question is in the nature of active service, and some discomfort is consequently unavoidable. There are, however, certain compensations, such as hard-lying money; and it is usual on their return to England to give the crews some additional foreign service leave.
§ Colonel YATEWill the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the fearful heat these men undergo in the Persian Gulf, and whether they ought not to get something more for the extraordinary services they have to perform months on end?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLAll those circumstances are very carefully considered with the general conditions of service in the Navy, but there may be cases of exceptional hardship, and I am inquiring into the allegations.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWill the right hon. Gentleman ascertain if it be the fact that forty-eight hours' leave only was given in eighteen months, and will he see that that sort of thing does not occur again?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI think it is much better to make inquiry first into the truth of the allegations.