§ 7. Colonel DAYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether there are any further contracts or arrangements in existence whereby the use of ships and materials are granted to film-producing companies by the Government; what benefit the Admiralty will receive for their use; whether the officers or naval ratings will receive any benefit from these contracts; and how many films have been made by the assistance of the Admiralty?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMTwelve films have been made with the assist- 1362 ance of the Admiralty and two more are in course of preparation. The Admiralty will receive a proportion of the profits realised on the exhibition of each film, part of which will be credited to the Naval Sports Fund for the benefit of the officers and men of the Fleet.
§ Colonel DAYCan the hon. and gallant Gentleman say what proportion the Admiralty will receive?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMFifty per cent, goes to this fund and 50 per cent, goes as an Appropriation-in-aid of Naval Estimates.
§ Colonel DAYThe 50 per cent, the hon. and gallant Gentleman mentions is 50 per cent, of the profits which the Admiralty receive. Will he state what percentage of the profits of the film the Admiralty receive?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMI must ask for further notice of that question. I cannot say for certain.
§ Colonel DAYIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that this question has appeared on several occasions, and each time I have been told that further notice must be given of it? The Prime Minister said yesterday that if a question were addressed to the Admiralty an answer could be given, and this is the question.
§ Sir WILLIAM DAVISONWill my hon. and gallant Friend recognise that it is most desirable that the public, who dearly love to see the Navy at work, should be able to see the British Navy on the screen rather than the foreign navies which are at present showing in London?
§ 15. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the royal naval personnel engaged in acting for the purpose of making cinematograph films for commercial purposes are volunteers for the duty; whether they receive extra pay or allowances for the duty; and, if so, on what scale, and who finds this money?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMThe details of facilities granted to the firms are arranged between the commanding officers and representatives of the firms. It is possible that volunteers have been invited for particular incidents, but 1363 generally the work is part of the ordinary routine of the ship. No extra pay is given from Government funds.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman not in a position to give me a better answer than? Surely the Admiralty know whether these men are asked to volunteer or not, and he knows whether any of the men object to acting in a film or not?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMI have given the hon. and gallant Gentleman the best answer that I can. As to what he states about the men's feelings on the subject, I have no such information.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware of one notorious case in which ship after ship got out of this duty on one pretext or another and the junior ship of the squadron had to do it and could not get out of it.
§ Colonel DAYCan the Parliamentary Secretary say whether the battle scenes and other scenes that are taken are part of the activities of the Navy?
§ Mr. HARDIEIf anyone in the Navy objects to this duty, what is the procedure to be adopted by those who protest and desire to get their freedom?
§ 16. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what were the circumstances in which one of His Majesty's Australian submarines was damaged in the English Channel while engaged in enacting certain scenes for the purpose of making a cinematograph film; what will be the cost of the repairs; and by whom will this cost be borne?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANNeither of the two Australian submarines which are now in this country has been engaged in any work in connection with cinematograph films. The remainder of the question does not, therefore, arise.