§ 25. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the present wages, allowances, pensions and conditions of service of men in the British Coastguard Service, indicating what improvements in them have been made during the last ten years.
§ Mr. HayAs the information about pay and allowances, pensions and conditions of service, is rather lengthy, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Pensions and conditions of service are broadly the same as those referred to in my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. and learned Member on 10th April, 1957. The only conditions of service which have changed significantly in the last ten years are leave allowances and hours of work.
§ Mr. HughesIs the Minister in a position to compare or contrast the conditions of service and wages of these men with those of the men who render equally dangerous and useful service as members of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution? Is he aware that there is a great disparity between them? Cannot he do something to help members of the latter Institution?
§ Mr. HayThe hon. and learned Member should remember that the lifeboat service is a voluntary one, and we are not responsible for making payments to it.
| Following is the information. | |||
| (1) PAY | |||
| Grade | As at 1st July, 1959 | As at 1st July, 1949 | |
| Chief Inspector | … | £2,000 p.a. | £1,200 p.a. |
| Deputy Chief Inspector | … | £1,780 p.a. | £1,000 p.a. |
| Inspector | … | £1,070—£1,270 p.a. | £600—£700 p.a. |
| District Officer | … | *£620—£715 p.a. | *£340—£515 p.a. |
| Writer | … | *£480—£535 p.a. | *105s.—115s. p.w. |
| Station Officer | … | *119s.—214s. p.w. | *105s.—115s. p.w. |
| Coastguardsman | … | *183s. 6d.—197s. p.w. | *90s.—100s. p.w. |
| *Plus unfurnished quarters. |
§ 26. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will make a statement as to the present rights of Her Majesty's Coastguards to compensation for personal injury and loss of clothing and other loss in course of duty.
§ Mr. HayThe rights of Her Majesty's Coastguards to compensation for injury, loss of clothing and other loss sustained in the course of duty are contained in the Superannuation Acts, 1834 to 1957, and in the Injury Warrant, 1952. These rights, and other entitlements, vary 1277 according to the circumstances of each case. I should be glad to send the hon. and learned Member fuller information if he would let me have details of any particular case he has in mind.
§ Mr. HughesI thank the Minister for the last sentence of his reply, but is he aware that there is a great disparity of compensation as between the members of the Coastguard Service and members of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution? Can he do something to see that members of the latter noble service receive fair treatment?
§ Mr. HayI am afraid the answer must be the same as that given to the previous, supplementary question. We are not responsible for the lifeboat service, in that we make no payments to it on our Votes, as I am advised, but I would not want to detract in any way from the opinion which the hon. and learned Member has expressed as to the very valuable service which lifeboatmen render to mariners in distress at sea.