§ Major HORE-BELISHAasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if pre-War pensioners of the navy and marines who obtained promotion during 42W the War now receive pensions of the higher ranks held by them on demobilisation?
§ Mr. AMMONPresumably the question relates only to pre-War pensioner ranks and ratings below warrant officer. Any such who were promoted to commissioned officer or warrant officer during the War are in receipt of the retired pay of the rank to which they were promoted except in a few eases where the grant was not to their advantage. The reply is also in the affirmative so far as men promoted to rank not higher than chief petty officer (provided the promotion was not subsequent to 31st March, 1919) are concerned.
§ Major HORE-BELISHAasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether pre-War pensioned seamen and marines received their pensions while serving during the War; and if at the end of hostilities their war service counted for additional pension?
§ Mr. AMMONThe reply is in the affirmative, except in the case of a few pre-War injury pensioners whose pre-War service in itself was not sufficient to qualify them for an award of service element in pension, and whose degree of disablement on demobilisation was not sufficient to qualify them for an increased disablement award under post-War scales.
§ Major HORE-BELISHAasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the numbers of pre-War naval and marine pensioners who were recalled for service during the Great War; how many were discharged to pension and held to serve; and how many commissions were given to members of the lower deck and marines who completed their normal term of service for pension?
§ Mr. AMMONThe answer to the first part of the question is approximately 26,500. In addition, about 1,000 were exempted from service, and on that ground their pensions were re-assessed under the improved scale. The number of men who completed time during the War and were retained as pensioners mobilised is estimated at 7,000. The total number of commissions in the naval service given to members of the lower deck and marines who had completed their normal 43W term of service for pension, and in respect of which the officers have been granted retired pay, is 91.