§ MR. STEADMAN (Tower Hamlets, Stepney)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will state how many men have been dismissed or suspended from employment at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, during the last twelve months, the reason for their dismissal, and the number of hours worked overtime during the same period.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. J. POWELL WILLIAMS, Birmingham, S.)The point raised by the hon. Gentleman is the same as that raised by the hon. Gentleman the Member for Battersea on the 20th March, and I can only repeat the answer I then gave:
Before men are finally discharged on reduction the authorities at the Arsenal are instructed to ascertain whether men of the same trade are likely to be required within a reasonable time in other departments. The employment of men on work in another department is not at all times possible. The space and machines in the workshops can only accommodate a certain number of men.The number of men discharged during the period referred to in the question is 1,316, and of the men suspended 2,677; but it would not be possible to state the number of hours worked overtime during the same period without elaborate calculations, which it would require considerable time and labour to complete.