§ 15. Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, seeing that under Section 98a (2) of the Naval Discipline Act, which provides that 14s. a week is the maximum allotment that can be compulsorily deducted from a man's pay, and that where a wife obtains a Magistrate's order for maintenance against her husband for more than 14s. a week a husband can claim protection under the Naval Discipline Act and escape enforcement of the order as made in the civil Courts, he will take steps to remove this anomaly?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMThe sum mentioned is the maximum that can be compulsorily stopped from the pay of a naval rating below the rating of petty officer. It is under consideration at the present time to raise the rates which may be thus stopped for each grade of naval rating, but any change will require legislation.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAWill the Board of Admiralty consider the abolition of the present system under which a woman may be deserted by her husband, and, just because he is in the Navy, he can refuse to maintain her on the scale fixed by the magistrate who inquires into the justice of the case?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMI have told the hon. Member that the whole question is under consideration.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAWill the Parliamentary Secretary consider abolishing it altogether?