§ 19. Sir B. FALLEasked the Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that men who are now pensioners, Royal Navy, but serving on are affected by a recent Admiralty Order which says that directors of gun-laying and other gun-layers whose eyesight is not as good as it was, owing to age, shall be dropped 8d. per day in consequence; if these men will lose the 2d. per day additional recently granted to director-layers; and if he will see that men whose services are retained in the Royal Navy should not be reduced in wages for no fault of their own?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI think my hon. and gallant Friend will see that it is quite reasonable that a man who fails to maintain the necessary standard of efficiency qualifying him for non-substantive pay in respect of particular duties, should not continue to receive that non-substantive pay. That is, of course, the broad and equitable position. But we have recently been discussing the cases of men whose qualifications to continue to earn non-substantive pay for specialised work have been impaired by reason of injuries attributable to the Service. In such cases we shall award a disability allowance equivalent 1030 to the loss of non-substantive pay which the men would otherwise have drawn.
§ Sir B. FALLEWhat is the disability?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIn the first place, if the man would have received, if discharged, a disability pension from the Ministry of Pensions and he had received some hurt or injury which prevented his going to gunnery or any other special work, he would not be worsened by that. But I shall look into the case and see whether it is covered by what I have in mind.