§ MR. MORTON (Sutherland)On behalf of the hon. Member for Ross and Cromarty, I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he will state how many second-class Royal Naval Reserve men have been allowed to re-enrol for service up to the age of 45 during each of the five years prior to the 1st April, 1906; will he state how many second-class Royal Naval Reserve men, who were 35 or over on 1st April, 1906, have been allowed to complete their current period of enrolment; and on what ground they have not been allowed to re-enrol for a longer period.
§ MR. LAMBERTThe actual re-enrolments in each year were:—1901–2, 806; 1902–3, 615; 1903–4, 556; 1904–5, 688; 1905–6, 462. The actual age of the men at the time of the re-enrolment averaged about 36. The Answer to the second part of the Question is that all have been allowed to complete their current period of enrolment. The Answer to the third part is that these men had reached the age of 35 without qualifying themselves for advancement.