§ 35. Major Bruceasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will give some further indication of the composition of welfare committees and the methods by which it is proposed to secure the democratic representation, by ballot election, of the men within the ship or establishment concerned.
Mr. DugdaleThe announcement to the Fleet of the introduction of welfare committees stated that they would comprise an appropriate number of officers, one of whom would be the executive officer as ex-officio chairman of the committee, and a number of lower deck representatives to be chosen by ballot by the messes or groups of ratings whom they would represent. Consideration is now being given to the detailed composition of the committees and to the ballot procedure to be adopted.
§ Commander NobleCould the hon. Gentleman say what is the difference between these welfare committees and the canteen committees which have been in existence for many years?
Mr. DugdaleThe main difference is that members will be selected by ballot, as they have been in some ships, but by no means in all, and the terms of reference will be somewhat wider than those which previously obtained for canteen committees.
§ Major BruceWill my hon. Friend say how long it will be before the first of these committees is likely to be set up?
Mr. DugdaleI do not think it will be very long. Instructions regarding the detailed composition of the committees and the ballot procedure to be adopted are now in preparation and will be issued as soon as possible.
Mr. DugdaleThey will appear in due course, when the details which I have mentioned here are finally completed and the A.F.O. is sent out. If the hon. and gallant Member wishes, I can let him have a copy of them in due course.