§ 39. Miss Vickersasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty when the new uniform to be provided for the Admiralty Constabulary will be issued.
§ Mr. T. G. D. GalbraithThe new uniforms for sergeants and constables of the Admiralty Constabulary will be issued at H.M. dockyards, Portsmouth, Devonport and Chatham during the next month. It will take a little longer for them to be issued elsewhere.
§ Miss VickersWhile thanking my hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask if he will ensure that the new uniforms really do arrive this month, as these people are suffering considerably from the sub-tropical weather, and are not able to take off 375 their jackets in the same way as are our civilian police?
§ Mr. BottomleyBut why next month? Why cannot they be issued at once? Like the hon. Lady the Member for Devonport (Miss Vickers), I represent a dockyard town and see these men at their work. The conditions in which they have had to work during the last few weeks have been appalling. Cannot they, at least, take off their coats?
§ Mr. GalbraithI think that the taking off of coats is a different question. The fact is that the uniforms will not be ready to be distributed until next month.