§ Mr. Parkerasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that retired Naval officers called up in September, 1938, were, after demobilisation, supplied with copies of Admiralty Fleet Order 2480/38, regarding uniform allowance; that, in the absence of any other order the conditions in that order were taken as a guide by officers called up on the outbreak of war; and that the issue of Admiralty Fleet Order 2525/39, since the outbreak of war, has been unfair to officers retired between three and five years, in regard to the recovery by them of money on uniform in the public service; and whether he will now take steps to remedy their position?
Captain HudsonI am aware that in 1938 allowance was made for renewal of uniform to officers who had been out of the Service for only three years. The present regulations are based on the fact that it is not reasonable for officers who have been out of the Service for less than five years to expect a grant for renewal of uniform as a matter of course. A refund is made of actual expenditure necessitated by change of figure of an officer, if he has been out of the Service for over a year.