2. Captain WILSONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty when he will be able to remove the temporary suspension of the Order in Council of the 29th March, 1881, and allow Royal Marine officers to voluntarily retire on pensions and gratuities?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)It is hoped that as soon as the officers entered by direct commission become available for duty the suspension of the Order in Council of 29th November, 1881, may be removed. The first batch should be available for embarkation in a ship of war to complete their training by September, 1915, and the remaining batches will similarly become available year by year.
Captain WILSONAm I to understand that the suspension of this Order in Council is not going to be removed until the date in 1915 mentioned by the right hon. Gentleman?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt will not be removed until the officers entered by direct commission become available.
Captain WILSONDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise the great hardship on individual officers caused by the suspension of this Order in Council?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAPerhaps the hon. and gallant Gentleman will put that question down.
3. Captain WILSONasked whether the reason for suspending temporarily the Order in Council of the 29th March, 1881, is due to shortage of officers in the Royal Marines; and, if so, what is the cause of such shortage.
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the shortage is due to the increasing requirements of the Fleet and to the greater length of the present course of training of officers before becoming available for general duty.
Captain WILSONIs it not a fact that the shortage of officers is due to a very large extent to the fact that the Fisher scheme of entry, as it is known, has completely failed in regard to Royal Marine officers?
§ Dr. MACNAMARANo, Sir. I have given the hon. and gallant Gentleman the reasons for the shortage in the answer.