§ 20. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that some 25 surgeon-commanders (fleet-surgeons) have been placed on the retired list after reaching the age of 55 or completing 30 years' service, and notwithstanding that many of them were called up in Auugust, 1914, and served throughout the War, some as surgeon-captains, their retired pension is only 10 per cent. higher than the rate fixed for surgeon-commanders 40 years ago; and if he will consider the possibility of increasing the pensions of surgeon-commanders called up for service during the War, as has been done in the case of officers in other branches of the service?
§ Mr. LONGA number of surgeon-commanders (fleet-surgeons) who retired before the War on reaching the age of 55, or on completing 30 years' service, were called up during the War, and served in the rank they held on the retired list, whether surgeon-captain or surgeon-commander. The exact number could not, however, be ascertained without examining each case separately.
While re-employed, such officers received, in addition to the full pay and allowances of their rank, a bonus of 25 per cent. of their full pay, in lieu of counting the additional time served towards increase of retired pay. Under those conditions of service, they would not 417 have been entitled to increase of retired pay; but, in accordance with the general arrangement made in the case of retired officers who served in a service capacity during the War, their retired pay was reassessed on the new scale, at the rates applicable to their age and rank at the date they originally retired. In the majority of oases the rate of retired pay was thus raised from £547 10s. to £600 per annum.
The procedure adopted in re-assessing the rates of retired pay of surgeon-commanders called up for service in the War has been exactly the same as that adopted in the case of officers in other branches called up for service.
It is true that the increase of retired pay is proportionately not so great in the case of the surgeon-commanders in question as in the case of certain other ranks, but some dissimilarity in this respect is inherent in any scheme which is framed to put the different branches of the naval service as far as possible on the same basis.