§ Captain P. Macdonaldasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware 784W that a married lieutenant-commander, serving in a Government Department in London, receives pay of approximately £600 per annum, whilst the equivalent Army rank of major, if a staff officer, in the same Department would receive approximately £900, of which about £200 per annum would be free of tax; and whether he proposes to take any steps to improve the pay of the junior ranks of naval officers serving ashore?
Mr. AlexanderThe lieutenant-commander—if his wife is living with him—would receive £714 7s. 9d. a year, of which £187 is. 3d. is not subject to tax, while the major under the same conditions would receive £917 11s. 5d. a year, of which £269 13s. 11d. is not taxable. The anomaly arises largely out of the fact that there are substantial differences in the rates of allowances and the conditions of their payment in the two Services and this is particularly so in the case of the two appointments now being compared. The staff pay of the major is £127 15s. 0d. These differences are not always unfavourable to the naval officer.