HC Deb 31 March 1926 vol 193 cc2016-7
20. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether there is any rule or Regulation governing the period of employment of officers below flag rank at the Admiralty; whether any such officers now serving at the Admiralty, and not on the retired or emergency lists, have been there for more than three years since the end of the War; and, if so, how many of such officers are now at the Admiralty?

Mr. DAVIDSON

As the reply is somewhat long, I will, with the hon. and gallant Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the reply:

The only definite rule or Regulation on the subject is that laid down in Article 243 of the King's Regulations and Admiralty Instructions to the effect that no executive officer will be allowed to hold an appointment or appointments that may be defined by the Admiralty to be "shore employment"for more than five consecutive years, or, in the case of members of the Board of Admiralty, for more than seven consecutive years, except in special circumstances which may, in the opinion of the Admiralty, justify an extension of the appointment in particular cases. Appointments at the Admiralty are generally, however, either for two or three years.

The number of active list officers below flag or equivalent rank now serving at the Admiralty who have been at the Admiralty for a continuous period of more than three years is 27. It is not possible, without considerable expenditure of time and labour, to examine the records of all officers now at the Admiralty, to ascertain whether they have been at the Admiralty at different times since the end of the War amounting in the aggregate to more than three years, but the number, apart from the 27 already referred to, is likely to be very small.

The 27 officers belong to the following branches:

The eight executive consist of one commander and three lieutenant-commanders who have passed the zone of promotion, and four lieutenants promoted from warrant rank.