HC Deb 10 December 1919 vol 122 c1481

Motion made, and Question proposed, That a sum not exceeding £118,000, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the expense of Civilian employed on Fleet Services, which will come in course of payment during the year ending ion the 31st day of March, 1920, in addition to a sum of £378,000 to be allocated for this purpose from the, sum of £120,000,000 voted on account of Navy Services generally.

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

I desire to refer to the case of the Women's Royal Naval Service and the grievance which is felt in connection with women being employed on clerical work in the Naval Barracks at Chatham. Those were posts held by Writers or Naval Clerks, and after some years of war those men looked forward to being beside their families in these depots, and instead they are given to women. No doubt the Women's Royal Naval Service did good work during the War, but the matter is not simply a matter of discharged soldiers and sailors but one as to naval writers, and affects not only Chatham but other naval writers.

Dr. MACNAMARA

I really thought I had covered that point, but I observe there is this difference in the speech of the hon. and gallant Member, and that is that the writers in the Navy think these posts should be theirs. I looked at it from the point of view of the discharged service men; but I will now look at it from my hon. and gallant Friend's point of view.

Question put, and agreed to.