§ 5. Mr. BAKERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, during the General Election of 1918, an Admiralty instruction was issued permitting naval officers on full pay to run as candidates for Parliament; whether the instruction has been revoked; and, if so, when?
Mr. ALEXANDERRules for the 1918 Election were issued soon after the Armistice in November, 1918, when a very large proportion of the community were still under naval or military discipline. The rules then issued provided that officers and men might be given leave lo stand for Parliament, and that if elected they would "not during the continuance of the War be placed on half-pay," but would be allowed to fulfil their Parliamentary duties subject to the exigencies of the Service. It was added that at the end of the War, officers elected would go on half-pay and be subject to the ordinary rules of retirement for non-service. On 2nd January, 1919, demobilisation of temporary officers having proceeded further, this rule was amended to read that officers when elected would go on half pay. In short, a temporary exception to the ordinary rule in this matter was made, and was notified as being temporary in November, 1918; and the ordinary rule 2171 of naval officer candidates going on half pay was resumed on 2nd January, 1919.