§ 75. Mr. D. Jonesasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware of the discontent existing in the Royal Marines in consequence of the decision to withdraw the opportunity for men to transfer to the "hostilities only" scheme; that there are men in this Service who have served for five years and who now desire to be treated as fairly as their predecessors in the Service; and what steps he is taking to meet this grievance.
Mr. DugdaleMen who joined the Royal Marines on regular engagements during the war period did so on the understanding that they would be liable for a longer period of service than those who entered on a "hostilities only" basis. At the end of the war a number of individual transfers from regular to "hostilities only" engagements was allowed but the increasing number of applications made it necessary to restrict further transfers to cases in which there were exceptional compassionate grounds. I regret that I am not yet in a position to say when transfers will again be freely permitted.