§ 14. Mr. LOUIS SMITHasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what proportion of the pay of naval officers and ratings, respectively, is based upon the cost-of-living index; what percentage reduction of standard rates is now in force; and whether he is satisfied that the cost-of-living index is a fair criterion of living costs as applicable to the personnel of the Royal Navy?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. A. V. Alexander)Twenty per cent. of the standard rates of pay of naval officers is subject to review periodically according to the rise or fall in the cost of living index and the percentage reduction of standard rates now in force is 7 per cent., and will be increased to 8 per cent. on the 1st July, 1931. The basic pay of naval ratings is not subject to review according to changes in the index figure but their marriage allowance is. I am not prepared to say that the cost-of-living index is entirely satisfactory as a criterion of the living costs of naval officers, but I would point out that in the absence of any more appropriate standard it has been adopted as the basis since the War of the adjustment not only of the pay of officers of the fighting Services, but also of civil employés of the Crown.