§ 30. Commander Maitlandasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in view of the relatively small number of men ho have accepted extended service engagements, he will consider publishing a quarterly return giving this information and any other information regarding the rate of recruitment and state of manpower in the Royal Navy.
Mr. DugdaleI am in consultation with the other two Service departments with a view to publishing recruiting figures.
§ 31. Commander Maitlandasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether opportunities are given to petty officers and men in the Royal Navy who do not desire to take advantage of the chance to sign on for a further period of service and for pension, to state or write, if they so desire, the reasons for their decision.
Mr. DugdaleThere is no formal procedure under which a man may give reasons for not wishing to re-engage, but he would be permitted to make a written statement if he so wished. Petty officers and men may also be invited verbally by their commanding officers to state their reasons.
§ Commander MaitlandIn view of the difficulty which is known to exist in getting men to sign on, would it not be common sense to find out the reasons why they are not signing on, and cannot the Minister introduce that custom?
Mr. DugdaleI have already said that men may be invited verbally by their commanding officers to state their reasons, and I hope that they will do so.
§ Commander MaitlandCould not the instruction be that they "shall," not "may"?
§ Mr. ScollanIs the Minister not of the opinion that it might be very embarrassing to some of the commanders if the men gave their real reasons?