§ [SECOND READING.]
§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ THE EARL OF GRANARDThis is a Bill to enable the punishment of detention to be substituted for the punishment of imprisonment for offences against naval discipline under the Naval Discipline Act. In the Army, as your Lordships are aware, imprisonment for purely military offences has been more or less done away with, and the punishment of detention has been substituted in its stead. The object is that no slur shall be cast upon a man after he has left the service and re-entered civil life. This Bill has been somewhat criticised in the House of Commons owing to the fact that it does not come into operation before the year 1911; but I shall, in Committee, move an Amendment which will, I think, meet that case.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(The Earl of Granard.)
§ EARL CAWDORMy Lords, I only rise to say that, as far as we on this side of the House are concerned, we quite concur in the principles of this Bill, and hope it will be carried into law as soon as possible. I am glad to hear that the noble Earl will 590 move an Amendment in Committee which will bring the Bill into operation at an earlier date than that proposed. I do not know whether the noble Earl means to make its coming into effect earlier compulsory, or whether powers will be given enabling the Admiralty to bring the Bill into force at an earlier date if they think it desirable.
§ LORD HAVERSHAMMy Lords, I should be glad if the noble Earl in charge of the Bill would explain what the effect of detention will be on a man's pay. At present if a man is put into prison he loses his pay during the whole time of his imprisonment. But the punishment in this case is to be detention, and I should like to know what the effect of that will be upon a man's pay and also subsequently upon his pension.
§ THE EARL OF GRANARDIn the Army if a man is sentenced to, say, fourteen days detention in barracks, his pay during that period is stopped. I understand that this Bill is on all fours with the Act relating to the Army, and that the same rule will operate in this case.
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House To-morrow.