asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Admiralty will consider the advisability of increasing by 50 per cent. all bonuses given on reduction to officers and men, seeing they are now called upon to retire at an earlier age with little prospect of finding employment, and with a much smaller pension than they would receive if allowed to complete the full time which they expected to put in for pension?

The Admiralty regret that it is not possible to increase the terms given under the reduction scheme in the manner suggested. The proposal would result in considerable additional expenditure, amounting to approximately £450,000 for gratuities to officers and £650,000 for gratuities and bonuses to men, or £1,100,000 in all.