Mr. DUNCANasked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can give the number of Greenwich Hospital pensions and augmentations granted to executive chief petty officers pensioners and to chief engine-room artificer pensioners?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am afraid it would not be possible to give the numbers asked for by my hon. Friend without an investigation of each individual award, and this would entail considerable time and labour. My hon. Friend is aware that these augmentations of Naval Life Pensions are awarded with the greatest care, the sole consideration being the age and necessity of the applicant. No other discrimination is made. My hon. Friend will be interested to know that whereas the1572W number of age and advanced age pensions which the funds at our disposal enabled us to award, five years ago, was 2,963 and 5,725 respectively; the number is to-day 5,920 and 5,415 respectively. My hon. Friend will be further interested to know that whereas the average age at which a Greenwich Hospital Pension was awarded five years ago was about sixty-one; the average age to-day is about fifty-five.