§ 70. Major OWEN (for Mr. HOR EBELISHA)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many men have been discharged from the Devonport Dockyard in September and October, respectively; how many men have been discharged up to the present in the month of November; how many men the Admiralty contemplates discharging up to the end of the present year; and whether the Admiralty has a plan of discharging more men in the next 12 months?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe numbers of workmen discharged from Devonport Dockyard on reduction in September and October, and in November up to Saturday last are as follow: September,31; October.45; November, 37; in addition. 31 men are under notice of discharge. It cannot at present be stated what further discharges it will be necessary to make during the present financial year. As regards the next financial year, it is anticipated that there will be a considerable reduction in the amount of work to be carried out in the dockyard, as a consequence of changes in Admiralty policy, which will necessitate a reduction in the numbers of workmen employed, but it is impossible at this stage to go into details.