§ 28. Major Sir BERTRAM FALLEasked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether officers who have risen to commissioned rank will be allowed to count their time as blue jackets, petty officers, and warrant officers, for pension in their commissioned rank?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am not aware whether my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to officers promoted to commissions at an early age through the rank of mate or to officers who reach commissioned rank after long and zealous service. I may, however, say that in either case, although specific additions are not made in respect of service in junior ranks or ratings, the retired pay of every officer is, I am advised, so calculated as to give him the benefit of his total service. In no case would an officer retired after short service in commissioned rank receive less than the pension for which he would have been eligible had he completed his service in non-commissioned rank. Thus a mate in no case receives less than £120 a year as pension, however short his service in commissioned rank. He is eligible for an increase of E10 for each complete year's service in the rank. If aged forty at the date of his retirement, the minimum retired pay of a lieutenant ex-mate would be 1479 at least £225, and would be greater if his length of commissioned service exceeded twelve years. An officer promoted to lieutenant for long and zealous service never receives less than £250 a year as retired pay.