§ 2. Sir Hugh Lucas-Toothasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can give an assurance that all ships of the Royal Navy are provided with equipment and accommodation for washing the clothes of the crew; what arrangements are made for the additional amount of washing needed in ships stationed in hot climates; and what special 2986 arrangements are made to assist the washing for small ships where the installation of special equipment is difficult or impracticable.
Mr. DugdaleIt has for some time been the practice to fit power laundries in cruisers and larger ships. This is being done as ships come in for refit. It was decided last year to extend this policy to cover smaller ships, and these are being fitted with domestic washing machines and drying cabinets where space, weight and other considerations permit. Parent and depot ships are fitted with laundries capable of providing a limited service for the small ships attached to them. In the present manpower situation it is not always possible for these to be fully manned, but some ships on foreign stations employ native labour to ease this problem. Otherwise, no special arrangements are made in ships in tropical climates, the limiting factor already being space and weight.
§ Sir H. Lucas-ToothWhat happens in the case of a small ship in a tropical climate when there are no facilities on board?
§ Sir Ronald RossCan officers have their clothes washed, as well as ratings, or is it confined to ratings?
Lieut.-Commander Clark HutchisonWill the Parliamentary Secretary take care that the expensive laundry equipment fitted to some of the big ships in America—I am thinking of ships like the "Nelson"—is taken out and preserved when they are scrapped?