Mr. T. WILSONasked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the joiners and other skilled trades in the Navy have the same ratings, status, and chance of promotion as the shipwrights have; and, if not, whether he will give them the same?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe ratings and conditions of service are not the same for all classes of naval artisan ratings. The whole question, however, of the status, pay, etc., of these ratings is now being considered by a Committee.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can see his way to reconsider the decision recently given to the effect that all questions of advancement of naval ratings and Royal Marines interned must be deferred until after the War, seeing that this decision necessarily penalises the wives of prisoners of war?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe question of the advancement of naval ratings and Marines who are prisoners of war was considered by the Admiralty early in the War, and it was decided that advancement must stand over until the end of the War. I think my hon. Friend will agree that the principle governing the cases of interned men must reasonably be the same. I might add that the principle adopted has been modified to this extent, that the routine advancement of boys to man's rating on reaching the age of eighteen is permitted.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he 1854W will consider the possibility of granting 2d. a day increase in the pay of ordinary seaman ratings, seeing that these ratings have not participated in the recent giants made to the Royal Navy?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThis matter was very carefully considered by the War Cabinet Committee, and its Report adopted by the Cabinet itself. I may remind my hon. Friend that the ordinary seaman belonging to the permanent Navy is a young man, generally under nineteen, and with every opportunity for advancement after eight months' service. We did not think it necessary to apply the recent increase of pay to his case. We distributed them as follows, namely:—
A.B.'s and equivalent ratings 2d. a day. Leading rates 3d. a day. Petty officers 5d. a day. Chief petty officers 5d. a day. I would, however, remind my hon. Friend that the ordinary seaman to whom I have been referring, did get the benefit of the increase in the messing allowance from 5⅛d. to 7d. a day, the benefit of the abolition of hospital stoppages, and, in any case, where he is married, the benefit of the fact that State funds have taken over, as from the 1st October last, 3s. 6d. a week of the 5s. minimum allotment.