§ 28. Captain W. G. HALLasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether lieutenant-commanders (ex-mate) promoted under the original mate scheme regulations are allowed to count any of their time served as ratings for retired pay purposes?
§ 29. Captain HALLasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether lieutenant-commanders (ex-mate) are able to obtain the maximum retired pay of their rank if they serve till the age for compulsory retirement; and, if so, what is the rate per annum?
Mr. ALEXANDERLieutenant-commanders (ex-mate) promoted under present regulations are able to obtain the maximum retired pay of their rank if they serve till the age for compulsory retirement. That rate from the 1st July next, until further review in the light of the cost of living, is £418 10s. Officers promoted to mate under regulations in force during and before the War at a somewhat older age cannot always attain the maximum rate of retired pay, but those retired since the War have been granted retired pay of at least £383 per annum.
§ 30. Captain HALLasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, seeing that, under the revised pay regulations of 1925, lieutenants (ex-mates) draw less per annum than lieutenants (ex-cadets) who are junior to them, he will say what steps he proposes to take to remedy the matter?
Mr. ALEXANDERThe new rates of pay introduced in 1925 were applied only to officers who entered the service or were selected as mates after the 5th October, 1925, including naval cadets who had not then left Dartmouth. The effect is that there are officers serving on the old rates of pay, while other officers who are of the same seniority but who were entered or selected later are receiving the new rates of pay. This was appreciated at the time and it is not proposed to make any change.
§ Captain HALLCan the right hon. Gentleman say when the Departmental inquiry which he spoke of some months ago is going to sit?
Mr. ALEXANDERIf my hon. Friend means my own inquiry as to the conditions of promotion from the lower deck, the inquiries are proceeding.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWill the First Lord, in considering this matter, take into consideration the fact that these promoted ex-mates Are mostly matured men, who are married, and is this one of the subjects of his inquiry?
Mr. ALEXANDERI will certainly undertake to keep that matter under my observation, but I cannot state, with my present information, that the rates of retired pay for these men are inadequate.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENWill the right hon. Gentleman refer to the parable of the labourers in the vineyard?