§ 35. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked whether the pay of the officers serving in the Admiralty yacht "Enchantress" amounts to £3,200 a year; whether the pay of the ship's company is about £6,000 a year; whether the coal and stores cost about £2,000 a year; whether the ship has done more actual sea-time, and officers and men been kept more on board than in other ships of the fleet; and whether the First Lord's official visits could be more easily undertaken by rail, at considerable saving of time to himself and expense to the State?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am informed that the annual charge for pay of the complement of the "Enchantress" is about £2,900 for officers and £6,900 for the ship's company. The charge for fuel and stores is about £4,000. But all these men are needed for the mobilised war fleet, and could not be reduced in any case. There is, therefore, no additional expense on this head. I do not think that the service of officers and men in the Admiralty yacht is more arduous than elsewhere in the Navy. I have replied on a previous occasion to the hon. Member on the general question of policy involved in the maintenance of an Admiralty yacht, and I have nothing to add at present to my answer.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEDoes the right hon. entleman not consider that the notation expenses are somewhat large for so small a company?