HC Deb 15 December 1922 vol 159 cc3358-9W
Sir A. SHIRLEY BENN

asked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty, whether he is aware that the Admiralty, having fixed the 31st March, 1919, as the date on which all pensioner service should cease to reckon for naval pension purposes, the result is that a man who served 25 years, less three days, prior to the 31st March, 1919, should only be entitled to count 24 years, and thus be deprived of a whole year because three days of it occurred after the 31st March and not before; and will he look into the matter?

Commander EYRES-MONSELL

The decision that pensioner mobilised service rendered subsequent to 31st March, 1919, would not be allowed to reckon towards further increase of pension was a condition attached to the grant of the im- proved pension scales, which came into force as from the 1st April, 1919. Cases of relative hardship necessarily occur when a change in Regulations takes effect from a fixed date, and I regret that it is not possible to depart from the general conditions in individual cases such as that to which the question refers.