§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the official intimation, made on 1st November, 1911, that the engineer commanders were promised pay of 24s. a day on promotion by Admiralty circular letter of December, 1902, he will state the 1961W number of engineer officers who have been promoted to engineer commanders since that date; the number who have received 24s. a day according to promise; and the number who have received only 18s. a day?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAAs regards the first part of the Noble Lord's question, my reply to him of the 1st November must be taken as a whole. I referred him to the replies given on the 9th March, the 8th and 18th May last, and also to the detailed memorandum on the matter sent in reply to the memorial to the Board which the Noble Lord and other dockyard Members signed on June 27th last. From these it is clear that the promise given in December, 1902, had reference only to those engineer lieutenants who were advanced to the rank of engineer commander under the regulations then in force, viz., to those advanced after eight years on the senior list. It did not apply to officers whose promotion was accelerated by regulations issued after that date, and it was clearly stated at the time that this accelerated promotion would not carry with it any1962W benefit as regards full pay. The number of officers who have been promoted to the rank of engineer commander since the scheme came into operation, viz., 1st April, 1903, is 280. Of this number seventeen officers were paid at the rate of 24s. a day from the date of promotion, the remainder receiving either 20s. or 18s. a day.