§ 12. Mr. ROBERT YOUNGasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the mechanical training establishment at Chatham it is proposed to utilise for training of artificer apprentices, Vote 10, page 196, is one and the same as the mechanical training establishment named in Vote 1, page 30, and Vote 5, page 87; if so, whether another venue is to be found for the latter; and whether in future the details as to staff, salaries, wages and contingencies of the mechanical training establishment can be set out in Vote 5 in a similar way to that for colleges and schools?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMThe training of artificer apprentices for the Royal Navy, hitherto concentrated in His Majesty's Ship "Fisgard," Portsmouth, is in process of transfer to Chatham, and 1942 the reference under Vote 10, page 196, of the Navy Estimates, 1928, is to the adaptation for this purpose of buildings at the mechanical training establishment, Chatham, previously used for the training of candidates for the rank of mechanician, which service has been transferred to Devonport. The transfer of apprentices from "Fisgard" has already been effected so far as the accommodation is available, and the provision in Vote 1, Subhead H., page 30, is for the civilian technical and other staff required for the transferred apprentices. The corresponding staff for the boys not yet transferred is shown on the same page under the item "His Majesty's Ship 'Fisgard' Training Establishment for Artificer Apprentices." These establishments, being Fleet technical training establishments as distinct from educational establishments, are borne on the Vote for the Fleet, Vote 1, and not on the Educational Vote, Vote 5, with the exception of the civilian schoolmaster and evening teachers employed on educational duties. The hon. Member will find explanations to this effect on pages 17 and 65 of the Estimates.