§ MR. W. THORNE (West Ham, S.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty can he state the number of men that would be required under his control if the hours of those men who were working more than eight per day were reduced to eight per day.
§ DR. MACNAMARAThe hours worked in excess of forty-eight hours a week per man during the current financial year are equivalent to the ordinary working hours of an average total of 380 men in the six home dockyards, but such employment in excess of forty-eight hours a week could not be avoided by entering additional men. It may be observed that the total number of men at present employed in the home dockyards is 31,438, so that the time worked in excess of forty-eight hours a week represents slightly over one per cent. on the ordinary working hours.