§ 1. Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH - COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what proportion of the sick berth staff, Royal Navy, hold the rank of head ward-master (warrant officer); and whether he will consider the advisability of giving greater facilities for increasing the appointments to this rank?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)The number is based on the requirements of the Service. I can give no undertaking in the sense of the latter part of the hon. Member's question.
§ 3. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that it takes from seventeen to nineteen years' service to secure promotion to chief sick-berth steward (chief petty officer); that in all large ships each rating is represented by a chief petty officer; and will he consider the advisability of extending this privilege to the sick-berth staff with a view of assisting promotion in this branch of the naval service?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt is not considered necessary to adopt the suggestion contained in the question. As I pointed out 1152 in reply to the Noble Lord the Member for Portsmouth on 19th May, improvements were made in the conditions of service of the sick-berth staff as regards pay and advancement in 1911, as a result of the Report of the Committee on the Naval Medical Service, and they also shared in the general increase of pay in 1912.