§ 17. Major Sir BERTRAM FALLEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if the new short-service men will be taught a trade or trades during their seven years' service; or if the vocational training at the end of their service will be so extended as to give the men a chance of qualifying for work when time-expired?
Mr. DAVIDSONThe existing scheme of vocational training is intended primarily for men in the second period of their engagement, and under existing Orders special service seamen and continuous service men in their first period are on the same footing, in that receive less advantage from the scheme than do second period men. I am unable to say to what extent it may be possible to extend the benefits of the vocational training scheme by the time the first new system special service seamen are drafted to the Royal Fleet Reserve in seven years' time.
§ 19. Sir B. FALLEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if it is intended to introduce two standards of efficiency between boys trained from the age of 15 and rated as men at 18, and the new short-service men taken on at 18; if he has considered the difficulties that will arise from the existence of these two standards; if he will give the age limit of entrance of the new short-service men; and if they will be trained afloat or ashore?
Mr. DAVIDSONThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second part does not, therefore arise. As regards the third and fourth parts, the age limit will be from 18 to 25, and preliminary training will be given on shore.
§ Sir B. FALLEMy hon. Friend says it does not arise. Does he mean that the men who were taken at 18 were in the same position at that age as the boys who were taken at 15 and trained?
§ Sir B. FALLEThree years' training goes for nothing ! Then why train them?