§ 15. Viscount CURZONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will consider the publication of a complete balance sheet of the Naval Prize Fund, showing the actual or estimated receipts and expenditure under all headings in detail?
§ Sir J. CRAIGAn account showing the receipts or payments from the Naval Prize Fund up to the 31st March, 1920, will be prepared and laid before the House in accordance with Section 1 (5) of the Naval Prize Act, 1918. A similar account will be prepared annually. I regret that no balance sheet can be prepared showing the estimated receipts and expenditure.
§ 16. Viscount CURZONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether officers and men on the active list of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines at the outbreak of War, who were ordered to serve on shore and not given an opportunity to serve at sea during the War, also the officers and men of the examination service, will be allowed to participate in the distribution of prize money; and will a man wounded and invalided or discharged, or retained under treatment on shore, before completing the prescribed period of sea service to enable him to participate in a full share of the prize money, be penalised thereby?
§ Sir J. CRAIGOnly officers and men who actually served in a ship of war at sea during the War are eligible to participate in prize money. Those who were invalided or certified as medically fit for shore service only, as a result of wounds or injuries received whilst on qualifying service at sea, are entitled to the maximum rate which they could have earned, irrespective of actual time at sea. These conditions are laid down in the Proclamation of the 10th February, 1919, of which the draft was laid before the House in 1918. Employment in the examination 1196 service is not regarded as service in a ship of war at sea. Officers and men so engaged during the War are not, therefore, eligible for prize money.
§ Viscount CURZONAre we to understand that the Marines serving heavy guns in Flanders will not be entitled to any share in the prize money or field allowance?
§ Sir J. CRAIGI think that, if my Noble Friend will look at the Proclamation, he will see it all laid out very carefully.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYWill the next-of-kin get the prize money of the deceased officers?