§ With regard to marriage allowance for officers, this is a subject which has been before the House for a considerable time, and great sympathy has been shown for the proposal that marriage allowances should be given to naval officers. The present position is that the Admiralty have put up what they believe to be a strong case in favour of marriage allowances being granted. That case has been submitted to the Co-ordinating Committee now sitting, which I hope will shortly report to the Cabinet. There has been a little mistake in some quarters as to the sum which is allowed in the Estimates for this purpose. The sum of £ 431,000 appears in one part of the Estimates, but that is not entirely for the marriage allowances of naval officers; it includes the men. We have calculated roughly that the cost will be about £ 350,000 for naval officers' allowance if our proposals are accepted toy the Co-ordinating Committee. The rest is for the men.
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANYes. I want to make it quite clear that, much as I 2521 sympathise with the appeal for marriage allowances for officers, it is not quite true to say that the thing is yet a "fait accompli."
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe actual amount, depends on the decision of the Cabinet after receiving the Report of the Co-ordinating Committee. We have put our case as strongly as we can, and I am very hopeful of success.