§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that blacksmiths, coopers, plumbers, and painters are still the only continued-service ratings in the Navy who cannot reach the rank of chief petty officer; whether he is aware that these ratings not only lose in pay and progressive pay, but also in their pensions; whether he is aware that these ratings must pass a test job at their various 612W trades before they can enter the Navy, in the same way as other artisan ratings whose rates of pay are about the same in civil life; and whether the Board of Admiralty can now see their way to grant the chief petty officer rate and a further increase of pay to these ratings?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; these ratings have progressive rates of pay and shared in the general increase last year, the rise varying from about 2d. in the junior rates to about 6d. or 8d. in the senior. In the case of the coopers this increase was rather less. Ratings which have chief petty officer rank can earn a larger pension in individual cases than those who have not. The answer to the third part of the question is in the affirmative. It is not proposed to introduce further changes in the conditions of service of the ratings mentioned which were carefully considered at the recent revision.