§ 17. Mr. HARMSWORTHasked the First Lord of the Admiralty when it is considered that the Navigational Charts Department will have overtaken the arrears which accumulated during the late War; and whether the staff can be reduced by 60 per cent. to the number employed in 1914?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Davidson)It is estimated that it would take six years for these arrears to be cleared off by the present drawing staff if no other work were attempted. This, however, is clearly impracticable so long as Admiralty Charts are to continue to be produced and kept up to date for the use of the Royal Navy and for sale to the Mercantile Marine. No reduction of the present staff is therefore possible.