§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that A class station supervisors in dockyard generating stations were promised establishment in December, 1922, under Admiralty Order C.E. 11,105/22, and that owing to delay on the part of the Admiralty, Messrs. H. R. G. Forster, R. H. Lee, J. Spencer and F. C. Stacey did not receive establishment until 1926; and whether he will take steps to ensure that these officers do not lose pension rights in respect of this period, seeing that they were placed in 1922 on rates of pay based on the assumption that pensions were accruing to them?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMAs suggested by the hon. Member, it was decided in December, 1922, that "A" class station supervisors in dockyard generating stations should, as a class, in future be borne on the established list. It was not, however, practicable to apply this principle to every individual until after the post-War requirements had been finally determined. The position of the gentlemen mentioned, whose establishment took effect after this question had been determined, has already been under consideration, and I regret that it is not practicable to depart from the general1292W service rule that time counts in full for pension purposes only from the date on which a Civil Service certificate is granted. I would point out, however, that these officers have not sustained any loss in pay, as they were specially allowed the pensionable scale of salary at rates equivalent to their non-pensionable emoluments.