§ 13. Colonel Gomme-Duncanasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what action has been taken following the recent thefts at No. 2 Site, R.N. Stores Depot, Almond-bank; what was stolen; to what extent blame attaches to the service police; and whether a full report of the case is to be made.
Mr. DugdaleThere have been two instances of thefts of stop watches and small aircraft dashboard clocks in recent months from No. 2 site. Almondbank. Full investigation has been made inside the depot, and the Perth civil police have been given full particulars in the endeavour to trace the articles, but so far without result. There is no reason to consider the service police are to blame. Full reports of all such cases are made by the local officers to the Admiralty.
§ Colonel Gomme-DuncanMay I ask the hon. Gentleman whether he is satisfied that these fairly frequent events in Royal Naval stores depots are really to the credit of the Admiralty?
Mr. DugdaleI cannot possibly accept the view that there are more thefts in proportion in the Navy than in the other Services or other parts of the country.