§ 22. Sir T. BRAMSDONasked the Secretary to the Admiralty why in the Jerram Report no non-substantive pay has been recommended to the musicians of the Royal Marines for fire control, having regard to the great importance attached to that position and to the fact that it is no part of a musician's ordinary duty as such, and also why the non-substantive pay has been taken away from bandmasters of the same corps for the responsibility of the care of the instruments, music, and other things entrusted to them, bearing in mind the fact that in some instances they are 942 required to pay for the repair or renewal of those damaged or lost; and whether he is aware that much dissatisfaction exists amongst the musicians and bandmasters in consequence?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI can assure my hon. Friend that the whole question of the Royal Marine bands' pay and allowance received very careful and sympathetic consideration both by the Jerram Committee and the Board. Obviously, fire control has nothing to do with music; but, on the other hand, I think my hon. Friend will realise that every rating carried on a battleship of to-day must be trained to perform some useful work during action. It is not quite correct to say that non-substantive pay, "Instrument Allowance," has been taken away from bandmasters, Royal Marine. It has been merged in their pay, and, as I understand it, they have gained the advantage that they now receive it continuously instead of, as previously, only when they were in charge of instruments of a band.
§ 23. Sir T. BRAMSDONasked the Secretary to the Admiralty why in the Jerram Report the question of non-substantive pay to the sick-berth staff generally is not recommended in respect of their special ratings as operative attendants, laboratory attendants, masseurs, and X-ray attendants, and which forms no part of the ordinary duties of a sick-berth steward as such; and whether he is aware that the present limited employment of a portion of those so qualified causes general dissatisfaction, especially in view of the fact that other ratings in the Service are paid as soon as they qualify upon special subjects, and whether employed or not?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe Jerram Committee has now ceased to exist, and I am afraid it is not practicable to give information as to why the Committee's recommendations were not different from what they were. As regards sick-berth ratings generally the Committee stated that the fact that these ratings have few opportunities of earning non-substantive pay had received consideration in fixing their substantive pay. The sick-berth ratings, like other classes, will have future opportunities of bringing any requests arising out of the Jerram decisions to notice through their representatives attached to the Welfare Committee.