22. Mr. TREVELYAN THOMSONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty why stokers in the Royal Naval Reserve who have completed their second period of five years' service since 1st November, 1914, are not being allowed to enrol for a third period when they are out of work or cannot prove that they are at present employed as firemen; and, in view of the hardship caused in this way, will he alter the Regulations so that stokers shall not be prevented from continuing on the Royal Naval Reserve because of unemployment?
Mr. DAVIDSONOrders have been given that men with not less than three years' sea service during the War may be accepted for enrolment or re-enrolment in the Royal Naval Reserve, irrespective of their civil employment, provided that they are otherwise eligible under the Regulations.
Mr. THOMSONAm I to understand that the fact of unemployment would debar a man from being re-enrolled for a further period, although he was otherwise qualified?