§ 10. Mr. HOGGEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state the number of writer ranks and ratings promoted to commissioned officer (ward room) rank since the commencement of hostilities; the number of commissions as assistant-paymaster, Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, respectively, given to civilians during the same period; the age and qualifications requisite for the promotion of a chief writer, Royal Navy, to warrant rank; and the age and qualifications requisite for a commission as assistant-paymaster, Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, respectively?
§ Dr. MACNAMARANo writer ranks or ratings have been promoted to commissioned rank since the commencement of hostilities, as commissioned rank has not been established for the branch. The answer to the second part of the question is 1,002 Royal Naval Reserve, and 100 Royal Naval Volunteer Reserves, excluding those serving in the Royal Naval Division. These figures include those who have been killed, died, or discharged since war broke out. Also a number of those given commissions were not taken direct from civil life, but were serving in the Forces in some capacity. The qualifications for the promotion of a chief writer to warrant rank are that the man must be not less than thirty-five years of age, and must have had five years' service as chief writer. The minimum age for promotion to assistant paymaster Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve is twenty-one. For entry as assistant paymaster Royal Naval Reserve three years' experience, in and a good knowledge of accounts is necessary. Candidates for entry as assistant paymaster Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve must be suitable for clerical duties, these officers not, as a rule, being required to perform accountant duties. I might add that for some time past candidates for commissions as assistant paymaster have only been accepted if rejected for military service, or placed in classes B 3 or C 3.
§ Mr. HOGGEIs my right hon. Friend satisfied with the fact that over 1,000 commissions have been given from the outside to this rank of the Navy, and that not a single commission has been given to one of these men since the War broke out?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAWe were glad to get the services of these gentlemen for the War period. If we had given acting commissioned rank for the time being to the writers most of them would have to revert to non-commissioned rank again after the War. That is not at all desirable.
§ Dr. MACNAMARAMy hon. Friend is referring to writers, and thinks they ought to get commission rank open to them. That has been presented to us many times, and the whole question of the writers must, as I have said, be reviewed at the close of hostilities.
§ Mr. PEMBERTON BILLINGIs it the custom in the Navy to reduce a man from a commissioned to a non-commissioned rank for no fault of his own?
§ Dr. MACNAMARANo, that is not the case. These are pressing needs. We met them by giving temporary commissions. If we had met them by giving commissions to the writers we should have been compelled, having regard to the establishment of the Navy hereafter, to put a man back again to non-commissioned rank, a very undesirable proceeding.
§ 11. Mr. HOGGEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the present and future need for accountant officers, Royal Navy, a proportion of the requirements will be met by promotions from long-service writer ranks and ratings?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to a similar question on the 21st November last to the effect that the present practice of considering the promotion of writer ranks and ratings when the number of assistant clerks to be entered is decided would be continued.