§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can state the reason why retired and emergency officers, promoted with effect from 11th November, 1918, in recognition of their valuable war services, have been refused pay of the higher rank; and whether he will take steps to remedy this, having regard to the fact that such officers, if recalled in future for periodical train- 1817W ing, would receive pay of the higher status, and also having in view the further fact that officers who were retired before hostilities with an automatic step in rank receive the pay of the higher status on being recalled for active service on the outbreak of hostilities?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe promotion referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend is the step in rank which has been given to retired and emergency officers called up for service during the War, on their reversion to the retired or emergency lists on ceasing service. In view of the different dates on which these officers reverted, it was decided, in order to put them all on the same footing, to date back the step in rank to the 11th November, 1918, but without effect on pay. This was done to ensure that the date of seniority in the new rank should be the same in each case. In view of the fact that none of these officers have been employed in the higher rank or received an appointment in that rank, I am advised that no reason or justification is seen for granting the pay of the higher rank, and, moreover, to do so would, in effect, again introduce the inequalities which it has been the desire of the Admiralty to avoid. I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that such officers, if called up in future, will have the advantage of receiving the pay of the higher rank, and that many of the officers concerned had already, when called up for service, been granted a step in rank on the retired list before or after retirement, and have, therefore, during the War had the advantage of receiving higher pay accordingly.