§ 29. Major HORE-BELISHAasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can explain to what the delay is due in the granting of marriage allowances to officers in the Royal Navy, seeing that the money for these allowances has been granted by the House of Commons; and whether he will state at what rates these will be payable?
§ 30. Mr. RUNCIMANasked the First Lord of the Admiralty on what basis the Admiralty was able to estimate the cost of the marriage allowance to officers at £350,000 for the current year, in view of the fact that a scheme has not yet been adopted?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI will answer these questions together. The Estimate was based on the proposals of the Admiralty which, as has been already stated, were referred to a Committee by the Cabinet. 922 As no decision has yet been taken, I regret I am not able to add to the observations I made in my statement on the Navy Estimates. (OFFICIAL REPORT, 19th March, cols. 2522-2523.) It will be seen from the note appended to Vote 1, Sub-head F, of the Navy Estimates, 1925-26, that the conditions governing payment had not been settled.
§ Major HORE-BELISHAWould the right hon. Gentleman say how the Admiralty were able to arrive at the figure of £350,000 if they were not aware what the allowances were to be?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANIf the hon. and gallant Gentleman had been here when the Navy Estimates were discussed—I remember that he was not—he would have heard me say that the £350,000 was the sum which would be required if the proposals put forward by the Admiralty were eventually accepted by the Government.
Captain BENNDoes the right hon. Gentleman not recognise that the Committee of Supply has granted the money for a purpose, and can the aim be thwarted by indefinite delay on the part of the Admiralty?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANIt is not delay of the Admiralty, at any rate. The Committee of Supply heard what I said before they voted the money.