§ 30. Sir C. K1NLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware of the delays in the Accountant-General's Department with regard to the award of long-service pensions and reassessment of naval pensions; that in many cases no money has been received by men entitled to pension on the 3rd October; and that in several cases families are compelled to live on borrowed money and the charity of friends; and will he endeavour to make such arrangements as pensions and the immediate return of ring 645 papers, the undue retention of which causes much anxiety and unnecessary hardship?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe Department in question is working at very high pressure indeed, having to cope with a large amount of work entailed, by the recent increases and adjustments in pay and pension scales, and the payment of arrears consequent on the ante-dating of the new schemes. At the same time it has had to deal with the payment of gratuities on demobilisation. I may here say that at has paid out £10,000,000 in gratuities since the Armistice. Further, it has many other and exacting duties at this moment. Nevertheless, I hope that such cases as he quotes are exceptional. And I shall be obliged if he will give me particulars of the delays to which he refers in the second and third parts of his question, and I will have the matter immediately dealt with.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the cases to which I have referred are not exceptional, and that at least fifty men in Devonport came to me a few weeks ago to speak about the matter; is he also aware that the question of the Accountant-General's Department being overworked has nothing whatever to do with keeping men out of their pensions?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt really has to do with it. The Department is very heavily overworked. My hon. Friend has brought cases to my attention, and I think he will agree that they have been promptly dealt with.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEHear, hear‡
§ Dr. MACNAMARAVery well‡ In all these cases I am very anxious to do what is possible. If my hon. Friend will report any cases to me I will take care to see that they are at once dealt with.