§ 8. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the very great increase in the cost of living, he can now see his way to make some advance of naval prize money to those entitled to receive it?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI explained to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth North last Wednesday that no payment, ad interim or final, can be made until the records of individual service, which will determine eligibility and the amount to be received, are complete. Those records, of course, deal with service down to the 11th of last November. I explained, further, that the Department concerned is making every effort to expedite and complete this work. We are working to have the records complete by the time that the Courts and the tribunal may be expected to have completed their labours. As I said, this we hope will be in the autumn.
I should now add that if by that time the Courts and the tribunal have not finished their labours, our records being then complete, it will be a question for the serious consideration of the Board whether in that case an ad interim payment ought not then to be made.