§ Mr. FALLEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that certain men who were pensioners over the age of sixty, from Portsmouth Dockyard, were ordered some eight months ago to return to work in the dockyard and had to pass the medical examination; that these men were in continuous employment outside; and that these men have now been given the option of dropping their pension or leaving the dockyard; and if he will inquire into the matter and have it put right?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am not aware that any pensioners over the age of sixty years were ordered to return to work in Portsmouth Dockyard, nor, indeed, would it be competent for the Admiralty so to order them. Some pensioners were invited to accept re-employment, and were offered a weekly equivalent to their pensions in addition to the full wages of the class to which they belonged. It has recently been deemed expedient to terminate the special conditions regarding the emoluments of pensioner re-entrants, and it has been decided that in future dockyard pensioners re-employed shall be paid the full wages of their class without any addition on account of the suspension of their pensions. They would receive the hired rate of their class plus the war bonus.