§ 39. Commander Maitlandasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what steps the Government are taking to reconstitute the Royal Naval Reserve.
§ Mr. W. EdwardsThe future of the Royal Naval Reserve is still under consideration, but, unfortunately, it has not yet been possible to come to a decision.
§ Commander MaitlandCould the hon. Gentleman give us a little more information why it has not been possible to come to a decision before now? Surely, this constitutes one of the chief reserves. Why has nothing been done about it during all this period?
§ Mr. EdwardsAs the hon. and gallant Gentleman no doubt knows, this particular question has to be dealt with by the Reserves Organisation Committee of the Admiralty who have been going into it very carefully. But one of the difficulties in resetting up the R.N.R. is perfectly obvious; it is, that we do not want to enrol people in the R.N.R. whose services we may not be able to obtain on the declaration of war. That is the matter which we are going into in the Merchant Navy, and that is why it is being held up.
§ Sir R. RossIs the hon. Gentleman aware that this is the only official link between the Merchant Navy and the Royal Navy and that, in previous wars, the system has worked very well. The R.N.R. has given admirable service. Why cannot the Admiralty make up their minds?
§ Mr. EdwardsIt is not a question of casting any aspersions on the R.N.R. in the past. I am happy to be able to pay a tribute to it from my own personal knowledge, but there is that difficulty. I can assure the House that we will reconstitute it as and when we can.
§ Commander MaitlandDoes not the Civil Lord realise that a great deal of the training which R.N.R. officers and men get is extremely useful to them if they have to go to sea in wartime? It makes them more flexible and able to be moved about in the service of their country in the positions in which they desire to be.
§ Mr. EdwardsI am fully aware of all that, and the Admiralty are conscious of it also, but, as I have said, we are going into the matter as quickly as possible.
§ Sir R. RossCan the hon. Gentleman give us some idea when this long, protracted deliberation at the Admiralty will come to a conclusion.
§ 41. Commander Nobleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the present number of officers and men, respectively, in the R.N.V.R., on List I and List II.
§ Mr. W. EdwardsThere are 647 officers and 1,414 ratings on List I of the R.N.V.R., and 583 officers and eight ratings on List II. List I includes the R.N.V.(W.)R. and the R.N.V.R. (Air) Squadrons.