§ 19. Major YERBURGHasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to the excessively long hours worked by yardcraft men employed in Government dockyards, amounting at Portland to as much as 85 and 79 hours, respectively, per week in the case of two recent weeks; whether he is aware that the stokers work three hours per week extra in addition to these hours in getting up steam; that overtime is paid for at an inclusive rate of 2s. for work after 7 p.m., by which time 12 hours' work is already normally completed, irrespective of the number of hours overtime that may have to be worked; and whether, in view of the Government's stated adherence to the principle of a 48-hour week, he will at once consider the limitation of hours and the employment of permanent relief crews from amongst the men recently rendered out of employment by the reductions in the tug services?
§ Mr. AMMONI would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply of the 28th May to the hon. and gallant Member for Devonport (Major Hore-Belisha). The circumstances of the employment at Portland are not considered to warrant the employment of relief crews to be composed of men discharged in consequence of the recent reduction in the number of vessels.