§ 21. Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, seeing that 26,500 naval and marine pensioners who served under the Admiralty counted War service for pension and received pension of rank held on demobilisation, he will consider the claims of the 400 naval and marine pensioners who served under the War Office and did not count War service for pension and did not receive pension of the rank to which they were promoted during the War?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Lieut.-Colonel Headlam)I have been asked to reply. The pre-War naval and marine pensioners who served under the War Office during the late War were in the same position as the pre-War Army pensioners who re-enlisted for service during the War, whose War service did not count for increase of their Army pensions, except as regards re-assessment, on the improved post-War scales, based on their service on original discharge to pension. I regret that the naval pensions of the men referred to cannot be further increased. I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Cleveland (Sir P. Goff) on this subject on 17th May last.