§ 7 and 8. Captain ALBERT SMITHasked the Secretary to the Admiralty (1) whether men of the Royal Navy Sick-berth Reserve are entitled to the increases recommended in the Jerram Report; if so, whether he is aware that men who have been demobilised since 1st May have not yet received the higher rate as from 1st February; whether he will make inquiries into this matter;
(2) whether men of the Royal Navy Auxiliary Sick-berth Reserve are excluded from participation in the increases recommended in the Jerram Report; if so, whether he is aware that, although these men have received a higher rate of pay than active service ratings, in times of peace they receive no retaining fee or gratuity as other Reserve branches of the Navy; and whether, if these are excluded from participation in the increases, he will have the matter reconsidered in view of the fact that, unless they do participate, their pay will be lower than that of active service ratings?
§ Dr. MACNAMARANo provision is made in the revised scales of pay for ratings of the Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick-berth Reserve. As a matter of fact, their existing rates of pay (including bonus, which they will continue to receive until demobilised) are already higher than the revised rates applicable to their corresponding active service ratings. Thus, a junior reserve attendant of over six months' service, serving in a ship of war receives 6s. 2d. a day (inclusive of bonus of 1s. 6d. a day), which considerably exceeds the 4s. 3d. to 4s. 9d. a day, according to length of service, now payable to an active service sick-berth attendant, and even the rate (6s. a day) applicable to a second sick-berth steward who has served for three years in that rating and passed his examination for sick-berth steward.