§ MR. BELLAIRS (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that the Navy Estimates for 1907–8, on pages 12 and 14, omit for the first time the number of officers and men of different grades appropriated to nucleus crews, and include them with the ships on active service; and that this course prevents the House from making any comparison of figures as to sea service with past years; and whether he can state why the Board have deprived the House of this information as to the number of officers and men who are doing less sea work than others by reason of their being appropriated to partially-manned ships.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONThe alteration in the form of the Vote is due to the fact that, when the Estimates were framed, the details of the newly-constituted Home Fleet were not definitely known. The Admiralty have never had any desire to prevent the 973 House from forming any comparison with past years, and the actual number of men appropriated to nucleus crews on any given date can now be given if the hon. Member wishes. I have just given, in reply to a Question from my hon. friend the Member for Falkirk Burghs, the actual number of men in nucleus crews on the 25th March, the latest date for which figures are available at the present moment.
§ MR. BELLAIRSWill the right hon. Gentleman take steps to include these in next year's Estimates?
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONI will consider that.