Vote 11. Miscellaneous Effective Services (Hansard, 13 March 1958)

§ Mr. Steele
I wish to raise only one point, which is rather an important one for my constituents. On page 153 of the Estimates, under the heading "Welfare Expenses", I read: Provision is made for grants towards the miscellaneous expenses of approved forms of recreation and the provision of amenities for personnel in ships and shore establishments and for juniors in training establishments. It happens that the third submarine squadron is arriving in Gairloch, and unfortunately there are very few recreational facilities in the area for the personnel, who are indebted at the moment to the town council, the other local authorities, and local clubs, to find facilities for their recreation and canteens. There is a little golf course there which has been in existence for a hundred years. Unfortunately, it has now been sold over the head of the present occupant and it looks as though we shall have to do without that as well. I do not know whether the Admiralty can assist the local council to maintain this little golf course.
Will the personnel have to wait at the end of the queue for something to be done? This squadron has arrived in Gairloch which has no facilities. Cannot something special be done under this Vote to help it? Local people have been very good and helpful, but it is too much to ask them to continue when a fund is available for football parks and things of that kind which would help these people.

§ Miss Vickers
I would refer my hon. Friend to page 148, where an estimate of £763,300 is made for canteens, a heavy cost. I should have thought that canteens would pay for themselves. It would be in the interest of everybody to make them economic concerns. I would like to know how this extra canteen expenditure arises. Service canteens have a regular clientèle. They do not have to be open every day whether people are coming in or not. They have regular helpers and regular clients and should be paying propositions.
On the same page is an Estimate of £8,900 for Contributions to religious, charitable and other institutions. I should like an explanation of this item and why the figure has gone up by £4,900. To what type of organisation does the Navy subscribe? Is it to its own religious organisation, or for helping the Salvation Army, which comes and does work at odd times? If so, I am pleased.

§ Mr. Atkins
The two items mainly responsible for the net increase in this Vote are Subheads A and D—Travelling, Subsistence and Passage Expenses—and Telegrams, Telephones and Postage. No doubt it will be argued that the figures are up because the cost of those services has increased. In any business organisation, when costs go up the first job of the management is to see if it can buy fewer of those things to keep the cost the same or to reduce it. Although the Vote is for miscellaneous effective services, I want to urge the absolute necessity for keeping these figures as low as possible because there are a great many things the Admiralty does which are more effective than these. If the cost of the postal services goes up, fewer telegrams should be sent and fewer telephone messages passed, and so on. I hope I may have an assurance that everything possible is being done in the Admiralty to keep those figures down.

§ Mr. T. G. D. Galbraith
The hon. Member for Dunbartonshire, West (Mr. Steele) asked about facilities for the submarine flotilla which has just moved from Rothesay to Faslane in the Gairloch. One reason for the move is that, from a 657 welfare point of view, we thought it would be preferable for the facilities to be situated on the mainland. At Faslane at present there is only one football pitch. Plans to bring the provision of facilities up to the scale laid down for a unit the size of the Third Submarine Flotilla are being drawn up at the moment. There is no question of it waiting at the end of the queue. Canteen facilities are below standard and proposals for their improvement are in hand.
I appreciate the point made by the hon. Member in regard to golf. He and I are Scotsmen and that is our national game. This is a rather unusual point. I do not know whether we can do anything to help, but, if the hon. Member likes to write to me on the matter, I shall certainly look into it as sympathetically as I can.
My hon. Friend the Member for Devonport (Miss Vickers) asked about canteen costs. In running costs the service pays for itself, but there are some overheads borne on other Votes. Those overheads may create an overall deficit. The hon. Lady also raised a question on Subhead. H. She wondered why the amount there was up this year by approximately £4,000. The reason is that a grant of about £4,000 has been made to the Officers' Association for Employment to help officers during these difficult years when they are seeking to be resettled as a result of the "Axe".
My hon. Friend the Member for Merton and Morden (Mr. Atkins) raised two important questions about costs of travelling and telephones. Those are always very difficult matters to keep under control. Telephone charges have been increased, and that is one reason why this item has gone up, but we are seeking methods whereby we may make some economies. The higher travel rates are due largely to the dislocation caused by the reduction in the size of the Fleet, and also by increases in railway and air fares.