HC Deb 03 November 1937 vol 328 cc906-7
22. Captain Plugge

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of individuals who have received training in the naval dockyard schools during each of the past five years; and how many of these have since taken up service in His Majesty's naval establishments and are still employed therein?

Mr. Cooper

The numbers of boys who attended the dockyard schools at home in 1933 was 1,001; since then the following numbers have been entered each year:

1934 … … … 264
1935 … … … 333
1936 … … … 592
1937 … … … 766
giving a total of 2,956 who have attended the schools during the past five years. Of these, 2,683 are still employed in the dockyards.

24. Captain Plugge

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that at present a considerable proportion of those who are permitted to become pupils at the naval dockyard schools leave them to take up careers in private industry and employment other than in His Majesty's naval establishments; whether these schools are intended primarily to provide a training for those proposing to take up careers in His Majesty's naval establishments; and whether, in view of the cost of the training, he will see whether it is possible, by making careers in the dockyards more attractive, to retain more of the trainees for the benefit of these yards and for the increase of their efficiency?

Mr. Cooper

As regards the first part of the question, I should like to refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the figures which I have just given. Of those who have left dockyard service, a large number have entered other branches of the Civil Service or the Royal Navy. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the third part, the prospects for ex-dockyard apprentices are now much better than they have been at any time since the War. By the end of this month the wages of adult workmen will have increased by 7s. a week since 1st January, 1935; about four times as many workmen are being transferred annually to the Established List as in 1935, and the number of higher posts of all kinds open to workmen has greatly increased.