§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether birching with birch rods is still carried out in the Navy, and why birch rods are listed in the naval rating book?
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§ Mr. AMERYSince September, 1917, by Admiralty orders, birching as a punishment under the Naval Discipline Act has been restricted to ratings under 18 after sentence of court-martial for a first offence of a particular class of crime. This punishment was considered preferable to imprisonment or dismissal from the service, as being less likely to make habitual criminals of ratings not fully adult. I am glad to be able to add that this punishment has only had to be awarded five times during the 3¾ years in which the present orders have been in force.