HC Deb 24 February 1960 vol 618 c357
24. Mr. Willis

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty to what extent the training of personnel is being held up by the lack of a sufficient number of sea-going billets.

Mr. C. Ian Orr-Ewing

While there were some difficulties of this kind last year, these have been largely overcome, and no training is now being held up to any significant extent.

Mr. Willis

But is not the Civil Lord aware that the delay in training these personnel affects their promotion? Further, is he aware that the steps that the Admiralty are taking to overcome this difficulty are leading to conditions of overcrowding of living space, which his Department boasts of overcoming?

Mr. Orr-Ewing

I think that it would have been surprising if we had completed reorganising the Fleet in the manner in which we have without running into certain organisational difficulties, and I am glad that we have overcome them so quickly.