§ 36. Mr. MARRIOTTasked the Minister of National Service if he can state the number of shipyard workers who in each of the months February, March, and April, 1918, have been warned for persistently keeping bad time, and from how many men protection certificates have been withdrawn; and whether he is pre- 194 pared to simplify and expedite the process by which protection certificates are withdrawn?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)I have been asked to answer this question. It has not been possible in the time at my disposal to obtain separate figures for shipyard workers only. But the number of persistent bad time-keepers employed in Admiralty firms who were warned in the months given was as follows:
Most of these men would be shipyard workers and marine engineers.
February, 1918 … … 975 March, 1918 … … 1,022 April 1918 … … 1,353 Figures as to protection certificates withdrawn by direction of the local enlistment complaints committees from men in Admiralty firms are:
out of a total of seventy-eight cases submitted to them in these months, fifty-two of which related to ship constructors and repairers, and marine engineers in shipyards.
February … … … … 19 March … … … … 16 April … … … … 13 In twenty-one cases the decision of the committees had not been notified to the Admiralty at the end of April, while in nine cases the Admiralty recommendation had not been approved.
Proposals to simplify and expedite procedure have been submitted for their observation to the Joint Committee of the Shipyard Trades Unions and Shipbuilding Employers.
Colonel THORNECan my right hon. Friend tell us in what part of the country the worst time-keepers are?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI could not say offhand.