§ 43. Mr. PETOasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller whether a special annual Government bonus is paid to the captains of hospital ships and merchant transports engaged under the Transport Department; whether he is aware that in the case of certain of these vessels which have been converted into what are termed requisitioned liners, and other such vessels which are engaged in work of just as much importance in the interests of the country, these bonuses have been stopped; and, if so, whether he will arrange that unfair discrimination of this sort will in future be avoided?
§ Sir L. CHIOZZA MONEYMasters of transports in direct Government service receive gratuities on the Government scale. Masters of liner vessels under the Liner Requisitioning Agreement receive from their owners the same gratuities as they would receive were the vessel trading for owner's account, except that if the vessel is engaged in trooping service they receive a gratuity on the owner's ordinary scale. I will consider whether it is possible to equalise the conditions, and communicate with my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. PETOMay I ask the hon. Gentleman if he is aware that under the existing arrangement the captain of the same ship when it is called a requisitioned ship has a sudden reduction of war bonus simply on account of the transfer of the vessel from one category to another, although it is doing the same work?
§ Sir L. CHIOZZA MONEYI think that is possible in some cases, although it is not always the case that the owners' gratuity is lower than the other gratuity, but I will carefully consider the point raised by the hon. Member.