§ Rear-Admiral Beamishasked the Prime Minister what responsibility the Admiralty have in the manning and administration of the Coastguard Service and what changes in its control have been made since it was wholly an Admiralty service; whether Admiralty requirements are met by the control of another Ministry; and whether the position has now been cleared up, in particular with reference to the withholding of pay, war injury or other benefit over a period of six weeks in the case of a watcher-in-charge wounded when on duty?
§ Mr. AttleeThe management and control of His Majesty's Coastguard was entrusted to the Board of Trade in 1923. It was transferred to the Ministry of Shipping on the outbreak of the present war, and was again transferred to the Admiralty by an Order made on 28th May, 1940, under Section 2 of the Coastguard Act, 1925. It was then decided, however, that while the Admiralty should have operational control over the Force, the Ministry of Shipping, and subsequently the Ministry of War Transport, should retain the administrative control, acting for this purpose on behalf of the Admiralty, who are satisfied that the requirements of the coastguards are met.1758W As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport said in a reply to a Question on 10th February, the Ministry of War Transport are now in consultation with the Admiralty about the position of the Coastguard in respect of compensation for war injuries. I trust that they will reach a definite conclusion at an early date.