HC Deb 03 December 1930 vol 245 cc2233-4W
Mr. T. LEWIS

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, seeing that lieutenant-commanders, ex-mates, have recently been promoted to commanders at three years seniority, he will consider reducing the lower limit of the zone from three to two years, as it was from December, 1926, to December, 1929, to enable these officers to be in the zone for 12 months prior to promotion, and thus get three half-yearly recommendations sent in instead of one, i.e., at two years, at two and a-half years, and at three years seniority?

Mr. ALEXANDER

As I stated in my reply of 5th November to my hon. Friend OFFICIAL REPORT, col. 835–6] the point of this suggestion is not clear. Officers are not selected for promotion only on the basis of the number of recommendations received whilst they are within the promotion zone, as seems to be implied in the question.