§ 13. Colonel WOODCOCKasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number 920 of requests which have been made during the last two years by officers of the ex-mate class to take specialist courses; and what number have been selected?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Bridgeman)Twenty-one officers, ex-mates, applied to take specialist courses, of whom 10 were selected.
§ Colonel WOODCOCKDoes not my right hon. Friend think that this proportion of ex-mates is very small, and is there any reason why they should not receive a larger proportion of these opportunities?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANNo, Sir; I do not think that the proportion is small.
§ 14. Colonel WOODCOCKasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of Lieut.-Commanders (ex-mate class) who have been promoted to the rank of Commander since the 1920 scheme?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANTwo ex-mates have ben promoted to Commander on the Active List since June, 1926, when the first officer (ex-mate) came within the zone for promotion to Commander.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs not this a very small proportion of promotion for these officers?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANIt is only since 1926. The 1920 scheme was a scheme for the special retirement of surplus officers.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYHave not at least 100 officers who were not ex-mates been promoted during the same period?
§ Colonel WOODCOCKDoes not my right hon. Friend think that, when only two of these officers out of the whole number have been promoted, it is quite disproportionate to the total number of promotions since then?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThat is a matter of opinion. I have no prejudice against the scheme, and I cannot admit that it is a small proportion.
§ Mr. PALINGCan the right hon. Gentleman say why the number is so small? Is it due to a lack of candidates, or to limitations imposed by the regulations?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI cannot say off-hand. If the hon. Member will put down a question raising that point, I will give him an answer.