§ Captain Pluggeasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the present practice adopted in the United States, Japan, and Italy with regard to employment in naval dockyards; and how the proportion of casual workers employed in the naval dockyards of those countries compares with the proportion in naval yards in this country?
Mr. CooperI regret that I am unable to give any information concerning the continuity of employment of dockyard workers in the U.S.A., Japan or Italy. According to the latest returns, the proportion of workpeople employed on a casual basis in the Royal Dockyards at home is about 6½ per cent. of the total (3,000 out of 44,000. This proportion includes not only men entered for special jobs or for short periods, but a substantial number who will ordinarily be placed on the hired list after not more than six months' continuous service. The latter, though described as casuals, are virtually on probation.