§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many officers and men purchased their discharge from the Royal Navy during the current financial year; and what is the price paid by officers and men, respectively?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMThe system of discharge by purchase does not apply to officers. The numbers of men discharged by purchase during the financial year ended 31st March last were:—
Royal Naval ratings … 122 Royal Marine ranks … 53 175 The scales of payments for discharge from the Service for Naval ratings and Royal Marines are:
£ (a) Ratings within three months of entry 20 (b) Artificer Apprentices, Ordnance Artificer Apprentices, Electrical Artificer Apprentices, Shipwright Apprentices, and men of these classes trained from boy with less than four years' service from date of advancement to man's rating 75 Men of the above classes trained from boy with more than four, but less than six years' service from the date of advancement to mans rating 50 (c) Others:— Boys and Royal Marines under 18 years of age, including boys specially advanced to man's rating under 18 years of age 40 Men: (i) With less than four years' service from age of 18 48 (ii) After four years' service from age of 18 36 (iii) After six years' service from age of 18 24 (iv) After 16 years' service from age of 18 Free.