§ Major ANSTRUTHER-GRAYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state the number of men now employed on the Government docks at Rosyth?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. McKenna)The numbers asked for ire as follows:—Staff, 119; workmen, 1,871.
§ Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH-COOKEasked the right hon. Gentleman whether he can now give a date when the petition from the Royal dockyards will be answered; and whether he will see that a reasonable time is allowed to elapse before; he petitions for this year are required to be sent in?
§ Mr. McKENNAReplies to the petitions lave now been issued, and reasonable time will be allowed for the presenting of new petitions.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWill the right hon. Gentleman tell us what he regards as a reasonable time?
§ Mr. McKENNAAt least a month.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that complaints are being made that the order allowing hired men in the Royal dockyards when they reach the age of sixty to be medically examined year by year until they are sixty-five, and if found fit and recommended by their respective foremen and inspectors to remain at work until they reach the latter age, is not being carried out by the engineer manager and constructive manager at Devonport; whether he can say if these complaints are well founded; and, if so, why the usual course is being departed from?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe Admiralty instructions in regard to the discharge of workmen on account of age are as follows: "Workmen and other employés, whether established or hired, are, as a general rule, and except in the cases mentioned below, to be discharged on arriving at the age of sixty years. In special cases, in which the employés are certified by the leads of their departments to be fully efficient and particularly eligible, and are certified by the medical officer of the yard to be physically fit to perform their duties, they may, with the approval of the superintendent, be retained beyond the age of sixty. Each case of retention is to be reviewed every year, and continued retention will be subject to re-certification and approval, but in no case is an employé to be retained after reaching the age of sixty-five." It will be seen from the foregoing that the Order referred to by the hon. Member is permissive. The Admiralty instructions are that, as a general rule, workmen are to be discharged at the age of sixty; such discharge is, therefore, not regarded as a departure from the usual course.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of my question, "Whether he can say if those complaints are well founded?"
§ Mr. McKENNAI have explained that there is no ground for any complaint being made; and I have given the hon. Member all the information I have on the subject.