§ 73. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the first Lord of the Admiralty whether in 1911 their Lords Commissioners received a petition from the draughtsmen, accountant clerks, general foremen of works, foremen of works and tracers engaged in the Director of Works Department at the Royal dockyards, praying that establishment may be applied to them, and setting out the reasons of their request; whether, in the event of these petitions being received, he will say why no answers have been given; and, seeing that an Admiralty Order has since been issued granting establishment to hired men (mechanics, skilled labourers, etc.), will he, for the reasons set out in the petitions, consider the possibility of placing the subordinate officers referred to in the same position as regards establishment as that of the workmen?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAAbout the time that the petition in question was received a Departmental Committee was appointed to consider the organisation of the Works Department. This Committee went fully, amongst other things, into the organisation of the staff engaged under the Director of Works at the Admiralty. As regards the staff at the outports, it recommended that the Director of Works 581 should himself inquire into its organisation. That inquiry is now in hand, and the question of the extension of the establishment to a proportion of the subordinate officers referred to, together with other matters, will, I hope, be settled in the very near future.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKECan the right hon. Gentleman say when he hopes the inquiry will be finished?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIn the very near future.