§ 49. Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the Prime Minister whet her he is aware that large numbers of men are in the process of being transferred to Devon-port from the closed dockyards at Pembroke and Rosyth, and that 300 have already arrived; that no satisfactory accommodation can be found for these men owing to the housing shortage in the borough, where there is a waiting list of over 3,000 for the council houses, although the list has been closed for a considerable time; that some of those men who have succeeded in obtaining accommodation have had, in some cases, to contract to pay as much as between 17s. 6d. and 25s. a week for one room to accommodate a whole family; that there are already over 5,000 unemployed in the borough; and that the new arrivals are to replace men who have already work in the dockyard; whether, in view of the anxiety, distress, and disorganisation that is already prevalent in the borough, he can withhold instructions to send any further batches of men into the town; whether he can make any special arrangements to utilise barracks, naval or military encampments, or other accommodation in the possession of the Government to house the men already sent; whether the Government can take in hand immediately the provision of special housing accommodation and work to absorb the unemployed; and whether he is prepared to receive a deputation from the town council?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Davidson)I have been asked to reply. The larger problem of housing at Devonport is one which concerns the local authority in the first instance. The number of dockyard men still to be moved from Pembroke and Rosyth is not large, and we are not able to postpone their transfer beyond the time already fixed. But the Admiralty are investigating all possible schemes for affording some temporary accommodation for the newcomers.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAMay I ask the Prime Minister, to whom I addressed this question, whether he is aware that this is a matter which concerns three Government Departments, namely, the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Health, and the Admiralty, and that it is impossible to get any satisfaction if 873 one is referred from one Department to another and will he answer the last part of the question as to whether he will receive a deputation?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI will answer that in the negative.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is impossible for the local authority to provide houses for these people, who are being poured into the town by the Government, and whether, seeing that he is always so ready to express his sympathy with those who suffer from bad housing conditions, the Government can do nothing to remedy this congestion, which they have caused?
§ Major Sir BERTRAM FALLEMay I ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if it is not possible for him to speak to his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War, so that some of the barracks, at Portsmouth especially, which arc now empty, and in the hands of caretakers, can he given over to these people?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe question on the Paper applies to Devonport.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI beg to give notice that at the first opportunity I will raise this matter on the Motion for the Adjournment.
§ 59. Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, with reference to the net reductions in the establishment of His Majesty's Dockyard, Devonport, between November, 1924, and February, 1926, and to the number of men who are now under notice of discharge from that dockyard, whether he can hold out any hope that there will be an increase in the establishment, seeing that there is an influx of personnel from Rosyth into the town, and that, if no increase of personnel is made in the establishment, the unemployment problem in Devonport will become even greater than it is?
Mr. DAVIDSONIf the hon. Member refers to numbers on the established list. I would refer him to my reply of the 17th Mach (OFFICIAL REPORT, column 403–4). If he refers to the total number of men employed, he will be pleased to know that the number to be employed at Devonport will be considerably greater, 874 owing to the transfers from Rosyth and Pembroke Dock, than would otherwise have been the case.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHACan the hon. Gentleman assure me that no men will be discharged as a result of the influx of personnel from Rosyth and Pembroke?