§ 25 Mr. Ralph Beaumontasked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1) whether he is aware that whereas retaining fees are paid to artificer divers in the Navy who have qualified for deep-sea diving, no such retaining fees are paid to deep-sea divers in the dockyards; and if he will consider removing this differentiation and putting dockyard deep-sea divers on the same footing as naval deep-sea divers;
(2) whether there is any establishment of divers in the Royal dockyards; and, if not, whether he will consider admitting a proportion of divers to establishment;
(3) what is the present complement of deep-sea divers in the Royal dockyards; whether any increase in numbers is intended; and if there is any shortage of volunteers for this work?
§ Sir S. HoareCertain workmen in the dockyards are given training in diving duties. In recent years a few of these men have been given an opportunity to qualify for deep-sea work, and while so employed they are paid extra remuneration on a scale which is in general accord with that laid down for naval artificer divers. The occasions of such employment are, however, not frequent, and the payment of a retaining fee has not been considered to be warranted. There is no specific establishment of divers as such in the dockyards, but the men are eligible for transfer to the establishment in the same way as other workmen of their substantive grades. Likewise, there is no authorised complement of deep-sea divers. Requirements vary from time to time, and no shortage of volunteers for this work has been reported.