§ 8. Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many boys are now under training for His Majesty's Navy, and how many were under training on 28th May, 1914; and why it has been found necessary to detail the battleships "King George V" and "Colossus" as overflow ships to the "Impregnable" training establishment at Devonport?
§ Mr. AMMONWith regard to the first part of the question, the figures for the 28th May, 1914, are not available. The numbers of seaman class boys under training on the 15th May, 1914, and 15th May, 1924, were 5,712 and 2,803, respectively. The 1914 figures include youths. With regard to the second part of the question, training of boys at Devonport in 1913–14 was carried out in His Majesty's ships "Powerful" and 'Impregnable," and the training A youths was carried out in Devonport Barracks; four seagoing training ships, of the "Edgar" class, based upon Queenstown, were also used. His Majesty's ship "Powerful" has now been done away with and, for reasons of health, a smaller number of boys than formerly is accommodated in His Majesty's ship "Impregnable," while the entry of youths with their shorter period of training has been discontinued on grounds of policy.