22. Vice-Admiral Taylorasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, under the married allowance scheme, an officer who relinquishes an appointment in a ship whose home port is Portsmouth and takes up an appointment in a ship whose home port is Plymouth will receive a removal allowance?
Mr. CooperThe answer is in the negative; the removal allowance is only applicable in respect of appointments for officers in shore appointments at home.
Vice-Admiral TaylorIs my right hon. Friend not aware that the expenses incurred by married officers in these cases are identical with the expenses incurred by married officers taking up an appointment from the sea at a home port, and as a matter of equity will he not go into that matter?
23. Vice-Admiral Taylorasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the notional value at present placed upon the ship accommodation of a lieutenant-commander?
Mr. CooperIf, as I presume, the hon. and gallant Member has the recent marriage allowance scheme in mind, the answer is that no value has been placed upon the cabin accommodation provided for a married officer afloat. Indeed, the basis of the recent scheme has been to compensate such an officer for the disability that his sea quarters cannot be used for the accommodation of his family.
Vice-Admiral TaylorIs my right hon. Friend not aware that the notional allowance, that is, the monetary advance for officers, married or unmarried, on hoard who are given cabin accommodation is taken into account in assessing officers' pay, and, that being so, as a matter of equity and justice should not all officers, either married or unmarried, receive that allowance when they take up an appointment on shore where quarters are not provided for them?
§ Lieut.-Commander AgnewIs it not a fact that sometimes, owing to the exigencies of the Service, junior officers who are normally entitled to a cabin have to give up their cabin and sling a hammock, and then, surprisingly, receive no increase of pay?
Mr. CooperThat may happen on certain occasions. With regard to the point put by the hon. and gallant Member for South Paddington (Vice-Admiral Taylor), the position is that this marriage allowance has been given in order that officers when they are at sea should be able to maintain their families at home, an advantage they have not had before. In the past, when they came ashore, they were given a lodging allowance to make 1562 up for their cabin accommodation at sea. The lodging allowance has now been swallowed up in the marriage allowance, both when they are at sea and when they are on shore.
Vice-Admiral TaylorBut is not the whole point, as stated by my right hon. Friend, that when they took up an appointment on shore where quarters were not provided for them they received lodging allowance, but now they will not receive it?
24. Vice-Admiral Taylorasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has received any suggestions or complaints as regards the married officers' allowances from any of the Commanders-ni-Chief at sea or at home?
Mr. CooperIt is not customary or desirable to disclose details of communications between the Admiralty and Commanders-in-Chief, but I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that the new scheme of marriage allowance has generally been welcomed by the Fleet.
Vice-Admiral TaylorIs my right hon. Friend not aware that for very obvious reasons no junior officers will ever send in any written complaints about these marriage allowances, and will he remember that that is no criterion as to the feeling among naval officers with regard to them?