HC Deb 04 February 1949 vol 460 cc274-6W
63. Mr. Erroll

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the lowest grade of civil servant to qualify for a first-class passage on the North Atlantic sea routes; what is the total emolument of such a civil servant; what is the lowest rank of Service officer to qualify similarly; and what is the emolument of such an officer.

Mr. Glenvil Hall

In general civil servants on grades whose salary scale rises to £650 or more are entitled to first-class passages on official journeys by ship, but on the "Queen Mary," "Queen Elizabeth," "Mauretania" and "Caronia" first-class passages are not at present provided for civil servants whose annual salary is less than £2,000. All Forces officers are entitled to first-class travel, but first-class passages on the ships named are at present restricted to officers of the rank of major-general and above and to officers of equivalent rank in the other two Services. The minimum pay and allowances of a major-general, if married, are £2,482 a year together with Service rations or ration allowance in lieu. An unmarried major-general would normally receive £2,007 a year together with accommodation and Service rations. Some relaxation of these rules is at present under consideration both for civil servants and Forces officers.