§ Mr. FALLEasked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that Naval Pensioners (not Reservists) are, when asked to volunteer, placed in positions inferior to that which they occupied on leaving the Service, inferior as regards position and pay, and further that the embarkation allowance of 8½d. per day promised for the test mobilisation has not been paid?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt is not clear, having regard to the expression "when asked to volunteer," whether reference is made to the recent test mobilisation or to the actual mobilisation ordered on 2nd August. At the test mobilisation all pensioners were allowed the ratings which they held in the active Service. On mobilisation, the instructions for mobilisation (Article 85) provide that pensioners shall be given the pay of the ratings in which they serve and actually do duty, but as far as the exigencies of the Service admit they are given ratings not inferior to those they held on being pensioned. It is therefore possible that certain men may have been given ratings inferior to those they held in the active Service. The embarkation allowance of 8½d. a day is paid for voluntary service in the Fleet during manœuvres, etc. (which would include the recent test mobilisation), but is not payable for compulsory service when called out by Proclamation.