HC Deb 17 March 1937 vol 321 cc2043-6
19. Mr. R. C. Morrison

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the date of the Order in Council which limits the number of promotions to second lieutenant, Royal Marines, from the ranks to two; What are the reasons for so limiting the number, in view of the fact that no such limit exists for direct-entry officers; and, as this ranker promotion scheme has for some years been part of the normal recruitment system, will the Admiralty now take steps to have it removed?

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty (Lord Stanley)

The relevant Orders - in - Council are dated 11th February, 1913, and 26th June, 1923. Up to the present, no reason has arisen for increasing the number of commissions

Year. Number of Seamen ratings who appeared before Fleet Selection Boards. Number of Ratings from col. B who received commissions. Number of Ratings in col. B who have since been promoted to Warrant rank. Number of Ratings in col. B. who have since been discharged by purchase.
A. B. C. D. E.
1933 … … 17 6 5 1
1934 … … 19 5 2 1
1935 … … 12 3 1 —
1936 … … 10 4 — —

Notes.

1. Certain ratings appeared before the selection boards on more than one occasion; one rating who was unsuccessful in 5934 was selected in 1935.

2. Of the remainder, 20 are still serving on the lower deck, IS as Petty Officers or Acting Petty Officers and 2 as Leading Seamen or Acting Leading Seamen. In a few instances the names of unsuccessful candidates before the Fleet Selection Boards were not reported and their ultimate disposal is not therefore known.

23. Mr. Parker

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the numbers of the last entries of special-entry cadets, executive and engineering, paymaster cadets, and Royal Marines, and the names of the schools from which they were entered; whether the system of early promotion to commissioned rank for writers, supply, and other ratings of the accountant branch is to be similar to the midshipman (E) scheme for artificer-apprentices or the sub-lieutenant (E) scheme, or both; and when he is likely to be able to announce the details of the scheme or schemes?

to be awarded annually since it has been possible, within the existing maximum, to give commissions to all suitable candidates. As I told the hon. Member on 25th February last, consideration will be given to the removal of the present limitation if more than two suitable candidates are forthcoming this year.

22. Mr. Parker

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of candidates who appeared before the Fleet selection boards for sub-lieutenant in the years 1933 to 1936, respectively, the numbers who received commissions, the numbers who have since been promoted to warrant rank, the number who have purchased their discharge from the Service, and what has happened to the remainder?

Lord Stanley

As the information requested can be best presented in the form of a table, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the information:

Lord Stanley

The last special entries of cadets, executive and engineering, of paymaster cadets, and of Royal Marines numbered 50, 20, 20 and 22, respectively. As the list of schools from which they came is a long one, I will, with the hon. Member's consent, have it printed in the OFFICIAL REPORT. As regards the latter part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 3rd March when I stated that I would again consider the possibility of instituting a system of early promotion to commissioned rank for ratings of the Accountant Branch.

Following is the list of schools:

Executive.
Stowe.* Wellington.
Eton. Marlborough.
Victoria College, Jersey. Tonbridge, Ampleforth.*
Westminster. Nautical College,
Bembridge School, Isle of Wight. Pangbourne. Clifton.
Wellington. Woking County.
Cheltenham. Wellington.
Uppingham. King's School, Worcester.*
St. Paul's.
St. Paul's. Felsted.
Marlborough.* Brighton College.
Ipswich School. Bedford School, Bedford.
Sherborne.
Welington. Portsmouth Municipal College.*
Marlborough.
Christ's Hospital. Pocklington School,
Charterhouse.* E. Yorks.
Cranleigh. Clifton.
Portsmouth Grammar. Charterhouse.
Winchester. Fettis.
Radley College.* Seaford College.
Framlingham.* St. Paul's.
Imperial Service College.* Blundell's.
Uppingham.*
Marlborough.* King William's, Isle of Man.
Imperial Service College. Chard, Somerset.
Oundle. Taunton School.

Engineering.
Monkton Coombe School, Bath. Cambridge and County High School.
Bedford School, Bedford. Portsmouth Grammar. Oundle.
Portsmouth Grammar. Uppingham.
King William's, Isle of Man. Dover College.
Haileybury.
Campbell College, Belfast. Trent College.*
Portsmouth Grammar.
Hampton Grammar. Prior Park, Bath.*
St. Bee's School, Cumberland. Denstone College, Staffs.
Highgate School. Bradfield College,
Bishop Stortford College.* Berks.
Paymaster.
Tonbridge. Loretto.
Newton College. Uppingham.*
Clifton. Douai School.*
Dover College. Xavierian College.*
Newton College. Berkhamsted.
Weymouth College. Rugby.*
Bedford School. Blundell's.
Oundle.* Weymouth College.
Felsted. King's, Bruton.
Peter Symond's, Winchester. Abbotsholme.
Royal Marines.
Cheltenham College.* Wellington College.*
Shrewsbury School. Edinburgh Academy.*
Cheltenham College. Campbell College.
Cheltenham College. Clifton College.
Malvern College.* Charterhouse School.
King's School, Ely. Kelly College.
Kelly College.* Marlborough College.*
Charterhouse School.* Cranbrook School.
Beaumont College. Stubbington House,
King's School, Rochester, and Taunton School. Fareham, and Blundell's School.*
Wellington College.*
Imperial Service College, Windsor. Blundell's School.
Tiverton.*

Note.—* These candidates also attended a tutor for a short period.