§ MR. ARTHUR LEE (Hampshire, Fareham)To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty what is the total annual cost of the Marine depôts at Walmer and Eastney; what is the average number of recruits trained annually at these depôts; and what is the estimated daily cost per recruit (excluding pay and expenses unconnected with the training of recruits.)
(Answered by Mr. Arnold-Forster.) The annual cost of the Royal Marine depôt at Deal is £32,724. The annual cost of 554 the Royal Marine Artillery depôt at Eastney cannot be differentiated from the cost of the whole of the division, to which the recruits were attached as a temporary measure whilst the depôt at Deal was full. The average number of recruits trained annually during the last three years at Walmer is 1,330, and at Eastney 370. The estimated daily cost for Royal Marine Light Infantry recruits is 1s. 4d.