§ Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of established workmen borne on the books of the Home dockyards at the date of suspension in 1907 and of the number borne at the present time; whether it is proposed to bring up the numbers of established men to what they were at the date of suspension; and when he expects to be in a position to fulfil the promise he made that the establishment should be reopened forthwith?
§ Mr. McKENNAPrior to the suspension of the establishment in 1907, the number of established workmen authorised for His Majesty's dockyards was 7,000, and practically this number were borne. At the present time the corresponding number borne is about 6,150. It is not deemed desirable to make an announcement as to what the future numbers are to be before the issue of the official instructions, which will shortly be sent to the dockyards.