§ 17. Mr. GRETTONasked if any prize money has been paid during the present War to the officers and crew of any of His Majesty's ships; and what are the general arrangements as to prize money in the Navy at the present time?
§ Dr. MACNAMARANo prize money has yet been paid, and it has been stated in reply to previous questions that it is not considered practicable for any distribution to be made until after the War. The intention to substitute for the old practice of payment to the actual captors a new system of pooling prize proceeds for more general distribution throughout the Fleet was notified in Order in Council of 28th August, 1914.
§ Mr. GRETTONIf no prize money has been paid, are we to understand that it is not considered practicable to have any distribution made until the end of the War?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAPrize money, I imagine, has never been paid out during the course of a war. On that point I am subject to correction. It is quite impossible to pay prize money on the pooling system until the end of the War, when all the proceeds are in the pool.
§ Sir E. CARSONHas any scheme been drafted and published so as to show the men what proportion they will get?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThere is to be such a scheme to authorise bounties, but there is no scheme so far, because we have not advanced to that stage.
§ Mr. W. THORNEWill the men who have been discharged from the Navy for various reasons receive their portion of the prize money when the distribution takes place?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAObviously all those matters will be carefully considered.
§ Colonel YATECan the right hon. Gentleman say whether prize money earned before the commencement of the War has yet been paid?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThat was not prize money. The hon. and gallant Gentleman is referring to gratuities earned in Indian waters; that is another matter. If he will put a question down I will tell him how far that has gone.