19. Mr. DOYLEasked the Secretary to the Admiralty the number of men who were promoted from the lower deck to be officers during the War; how many of these have been retained in the Navy, and whether it is proposed to grant additional facilities for deserved promotion to the higher rank?
§ Dr. MACNAMARADuring the War, 3,101 promotions were made to Warrant rank, and 497 to the rank or equivalent rank of Mate. Of the officers so promoted, 1,758 and 447 respectively are still serving. A few of those promoted to Mate were Warrant Officers previously, but the exact number is not available The number of promotions made during the War was considerably above the normal, and at present, generally speaking, the lists of officers are much overborne. Bearing in mind also the lesser number of officers required for the post-War Fleet, it is likely that the number of promotions, taken as a whole, must be 2183 smaller for some time to come. At the same time the Admiralty are anxious to increase, as far as possible, the facilities for promotion, and in this connection I would refer my hon. Friend to the proposals for earlier promotion to Mate which appear in the First Lord's Statement on the Navy Estimates issued to the House.