HC Deb 04 July 1923 vol 166 cc414-5
16. Major Sir BERTRAM FALLE

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, seeing that no part of the proposed reduction to be made in the pay of the Army will be applicable to officers, noncommissioned officers, and other ranks now serving, he can give a similar assurance to the Royal Navy?

Commander EYRES - MONSELL

I assume that my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to a recent statement by the Secretary of State for War in another place, but that statement was obviously not intended to refer to officers, since a revision of officers' pay, on lines which were announced when the new rates were granted, will be due in all three Services in 1924. I can, however, assure my hon. and gallant Friend that this whole question will be dealt with in the case of the Navy just as sympathetically and with as great a regard to what is due to serving officers and men as in the case of the Army.

Viscount CURZON

Can the right hon. Gentleman assure us that, whatever readjustments may take place with regard to the Navy, two men doing precisely the same job and under similar conditions will not receive different rates of pay?

Commander EYRES - MONSELL

There is a very competent Committee, the Anderson Committee, now dealing with these things. The less I say about the matter the better.