§ Mr. R. YOUNGasked the Secretary to the Admiralty if the representatives of the engine-room artificer and electrical artificer classes who gave evidence before the Jerram Committee asked for greatly improved pensions—namely, two-thirds of pay at time of retiring and, in the event of death before retiring, the widow to receive two-thirds of the pay at time of death, and if pensioned at time of death the widow to receive two-thirds of her late husband's pension; and whether the pensions asked were considered unreasonable or were they refused on the grounds of public economy in expenditure?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAYes, Sir. Requests were made for increased pensions by the engine-room and electrical artificers, as stated in my hon. Friend's question. As regards the basic rate of pensions, the Committee's recommendation is shown on page 7 of Command Paper 149, Recommendation 41. It was approved by the Board. As regards widows' pensions and children's compassionate allowances, the Committee's recommendations are shown on pages 8 and 9 of the Command Paper, Recommendations 54 and 55. They were, as shown in the Paper, not approved.