§ Rear-Admiral Beamishasked the Prime Minister whether there has been any recent review of the scale of monetary grants attached to certain military distinctions for gallantry.
§ The Prime MinisterThe scale of pecuniary benefits attached to certain gallantry awards has been reviewed. A measure of standardisation has been effected and some other alterations have been made. The effect of these changes is shown in the table below:
1257W1258W1259W
Present System Amendments. CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY MEDAL (Naval). C.P.Os., P.Os. and equivalent R.M. ranks. Annuity up to £20 concurrently with award of medal. (In practice £10 annuity usually paid.) No change until after the war. (After the present war the pecuniary benefits will be the same as for ratings and ranks below P.O. or the equivalent.) For a Bar the balance of the original annuity, i.e. £10 p.a. would usually be paid. No change until after the war. (After the present war the pecuniary benefits will be the same as for ratings and ranks below P.O. or the equivalent.) Ratings and ranks below P.O. or the equivalent. Gratuity of £20 on discharge, transfer to reserve or appointment to a Commission. Increase Addition of 6d. a day (£9 2s. a year) to pension, or a gratuity of £20 on discharge without pension, transfer to reserve or appointment to a Commission. New payment For each Bar an additional gratuity of £20 New payment Army and R.A.F. recipients of the C.G.M. (Naval) will be eligible, irrespective of their rank, for the pecuniary benefits payable to ratings and ranks below P.O. or the equivalent. CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY MEDICAL (Flying). An addition of 6d. a day (£9 2s. a year) to pension, or a gratuity of £20 on discharge without pension, transfer to reserve or appointment to a Commission. No change For each Bar an additional gratuity of £20. No change DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL New payment Addition of 6d. day (£9 2s. a year) to pension, or a gratuity of £20 on discharge without pension, transfer to reserve or appointment to a Commission. New payment For each Bar an additional gratuity of £20. MILITARY MEDAL New payment Addition of 6d. a day (£9 2s. a year) to pension, or a gratuity of £20 on discharge, without pension, transfer to reserve or appointment to a Commission. New payment For each Bar an additional gratuity of £20. DISTINGUISHED FLYING MEDAL Addition of 6d. a day (£9 2s. a year) to pension, or a gratuity of £20 on discharge, without pension, transfer to reserve or appointment to a Commission. No change For each Bar an additional gratuity of £20. No change New payment R.N. and Royal Marine recipients of the D.F.M. will be eligible for the benefits shown in the left hand column above.
MERCHANT NAVY. Present System. Amendments. VICTORIA CROSS. Recipients of ranks below equivalent of Commissioned rank. £10 annuity. Increase £10 annuity, plus 6d. a day (£9 2s. a year) addition to war pension for disability. New payment Annuity (together with any other pension from public funds) increased to £75 a year in case of need due to age or infirmity. (Extends also to those of rank equivalent to Commissioned rank.) For each Bar an additional annuity of £5. No change New payment Balance of £50, if that amount has not been paid during life-time, will be credited to estate of recipient of V.C. The full amount of £50 will be credited when an award is made posthumously. CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY MEDAL. All Recipients (Rank equivalent to C.P.O. or below). New payment Addition of 6d, a day (£9 2s. a year) to war pension for disability or a gratuity of £20 at the end of the war, or on appointment to rank equivalent to Commissioned rank. For each Bar an additional gratuity of £20. DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL New payment Addition of 6d. a day (£9 2s. a year) to war pension for disability or a gratuity of £20 at the end of the war, or on appointment to rank equivalent to Commissioned rank. For each Bar an additional gratuity of £20. The result, as will be seen, is that the V.C. benefits will now be the same in all three military Services and except for the temporary continuance of special arrangements for the P.O. and C.P.O., etc., recipients of the Naval C.G.M. or Bar, the addition to pensions, etc., for the D.C.M., C.G.M. (Naval and Flying), D.S.M., M.M., and D.F.M. and the gratuities awarded with Bars to these awards will be the same in each Service respectively. The arrangements in respect of the Merchant Navy follow closely those in the Royal Navy, for the awards shown. These arrangements will also apply to certain classes of Naval auxiliary personnel.
In respect of all awards for service since 3rd September, 1939, the recipients will, if living, be eligible retrospectively for the new gratuities and will be eligible for the new pensions as from 1st October, 1944.
The new payment to the estate of recipients of the Victoria Cross, which is likewise limited to awards made since 3rd September, 1939, will come into effect in cases of decease on or after 1st October, 1944. Where, however, the recipient died before 1st October, 1944, payment may be made to the widow or other person of pensionable status under the War Pensions Regulations.
The new gratuities attached to other awards for service since 3rd September, 1939, will be credited to the estate of recipients in cases of decease on or after 1st October, 1944, where payment has not already been made. Where the recipient has died before 1st October, 1944, payment may be made to the widow or other person of pensionable status under the War Pensions Regulations.
Under the heading "Merchant Navy," the expression "War pension for disability "means" Pension payable by the Ministry of Pensions under the Pensions (Navy, Army, Air Force and Mercantile Marine) Act, 1939, as amended by the Pensions (Mercantile Marine) Act, 1942."