Mr. TYSON WILSONasked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether men who were in the Yacht Patrol Service are entitled to the war gratuity; if so, whether he is aware that these men were not in receipt of mercantile pay, a case in point being that of a carpenter who received £2 5s. per week on which he had to keep himself and his family at home; and whether he will give instructions that these men shall receive either the mercantile rate of pay for their services or the war gratuity?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe men in the Yacht Patrol serve under a Mercantile Agreement (T.124 Y). They are in receipt of rates of pay which are doubtless less in cash payment than mercantile rates; but which, in view of the fact that T.124 men are employed continuously and, as well, enjoy the benefits of full pay while sick, free uniforms, and gratuity for upkeep, leave, with pay, demobilisation benefits, and pensions on Navy scale if injured or disabled, do, in fact, approximate in value to what is received by men of the Mercantile Marine. They are, therefore, regarded as ineligible for the seamen's war gratuity, which is only paid to naval ratings who received naval rates of pay.