§ 12. Mr. PETOasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the present value of the Greenwich Hospital Fund; whether this is used in any way for the advantage of seamen; and, if so, for what purpose?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe. estimated income of Greenwich Hospital for the year 1917–18 was £219,235, of which £194,068, or 88½per cent., was appropriated for the advantage of seamen and marines under the following heads:
The remaining 11½ per cent. was utilised as follows:
Age pensions £114,000 Special pensions, and maintenance in naval hospitals, etc 23,800 Pensions to widows and gratuities to other dependents relatives 6,100 Education and maintenance of children in schools and homes 50,168 £194,068
Pensions to officers and allowances to their children £9,320 Greenwich Hospital Estate expenses, etc., and superannuation allowances 15,043 Surplus income 804 £25,167
§ Mr. PETOAm I right in understanding that substantially the whole of Greenwich Hospital Fund is allocated to officers and men of the Navy, and will the right hon. Gentleman consider, bearing in mind the sources from which the fund comes, that some share of it should be devoted to pensions or analogous benefits to men of the mercantile marine?
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs it not a fact that the whole of this money was subscribed by the seamen themselves?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAMy hon. Friend raises a very interesting question. I will send him a copy of the original charter of the foundation in 1694. Before I can say that we shall apply any of this money to those most admirable objects mentioned perhaps the hon. Gentleman will read the original charter and the purposes to which the money was to be applied; then he can put another question.
§ Mr. PETOIt is not the question of the charter to which I was referring, but the sources from which the money originally came.
§ Dr. MACNAMARAObviously we can only spend the money under the authority given to us; we cannot possibly vary the benefaction.