§ 41. Major Neven-Spenceasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether civilian salvage officers receive special facilities for travelling to their work, obtaining necessary supplies for their crews and vessels and replacing clothing damaged when on duty.
Mr. AlexanderI need hardly assure the hon. and gallant Member that the Admiralty attach great importance to the duties of salvage officers. Civilian salvage officers travelling on duty are afforded the same priority in obtaining sleeping berths as are Service personnel and whenever necessary special steps are taken with the Ministry of War Transport to obtain sleeping berth accommodation for them. In matters of urgency full facilities for air travel are afforded. As regards supplies, arrangements were concluded about a year ago with the Ministry of Food to ensure that extra and emergency provisions could be obtained for salvage vessels and their crews. Petrol supplies for pumps, and so on, if not available from local resources can always be obtained through the appropriate Naval authorities in the area in which an officer is working. Any requests received for facilities to replace clothing damaged when on duty would be considered on their merits. One such request has been received, up to the present time, and has been met in full.