§ 26. Mr. Brookeasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, since to handle a boat in tidal waters requires at least as much skill as to drive a motor-car, he will grant members of the Women's Royal Naval Service, serving as boats' crews, as high a rate of pay as those driving motorcars on land?
Mr. AlexanderI am unable to accept without qualification the statement in the first part of the hon. Member's Question. As regards the second part, while the skill of motor-car drivers is recognised by placing them in a specialised category, which carries a higher rate of pay, the responsibility of the senior member or members of a boat's crew is also 162 recognised by a higher substantive rating, which again carries a higher rate of pay. Exact assessment of the relative skill required by such widely-different duties is impossible.