17. Dr. MURRAYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that, when the body of a deceased naval rating belonging to the Western Isles is taken home from the mainland for burial, the cost of transit by sea has to be paid by the relatives; that the expense of conveying the remains by sea is never less than £6; and, as these relatives are practically in all cases poor fishermen or crofters, whether he can see his way to arranging for the whole charges of transport to be paid for out of public funds?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAEarly in 1915 it was decided to allow the conveyance of bodies of deceased warrant officers and men to their homes for burial by their relations, if desired, at the public expense. But in May, 1917, it was necessary, not on account of any question of expense, but owing to difficulties of sea transport, to restrict this privilege to cases in which the journey did not involve passage by sea. At the beginning of last month it was decided that this restriction is no longer necessary, so that the conveyance of the body of any warrant 1718 officer or man may be authorised by any of the naval authorities to places within the limits of the United Kingdom, the expense being defrayed from public funds.