§ MR. FORTESCUE FLANNERY (Yorkshire, Shipley)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty—(1), if he 1735 is aware that an official representation has been made to the Admiral Superintendent of Naval Reserves that, in the opinion of the Council of the Institution of Marine Engineers, Engineers of the Royal Naval Reserve should have opportunities of gaming experience at sea in Her Majesty's ships; (2), whether he is aware that the Institution of Marine Engineers has a membership of 1,000 skilled engineers representative of the engineers of the Mercantile Marine; and (3), whether he will make arrangements to enable engineers of the Royal Naval Reserve to thus make themselves efficient in their duties as naval engineers?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTYMy reply to the first paragraph is "Yes." The second paragraph is not ad rem. The question as to enabling engineer officers of the Royal Naval Reserve to serve on board men-of-war must be decided on service considerations. In reply to third paragraph the Admiralty have not failed to study the subject with great care. It is surrounded with difficulties, but I shall be glad if I see my way to an arrangement which would bring the Reserve officers into closer touch with the Navy.