HC Deb 04 May 1960 vol 622 c1060
11. Mr. Hannan

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how many naval training establishments are in Scotland; and what proportion of navy trainees, in any one year, receive their training in those Scottish establishments.

Mr. C. Ian Orr-Ewing

There are at present three training establishments in Scotland. Figures are not readily available of the proportion of the trainees who receive their training in these establishments during the course of a single year, but at the latest date for which figures are available 8 per cent. of all officers and ratings under training on shore in the United Kingdom were under training in Scotland.

Mr. Hannan

Is the Minister aware that a very small proportion of the total personnel is being trained in Scotland and that, as private enterprise is failing to provide employment, the Government could influence these affairs to see that Scotland gets more than its share of public services and public work?

Mr. Orr-Ewing

The figures I gave were of the naval training establishments to which the Question refers. I thought that it was right to concentrate on establishments which undertake training only. There are in addition establishments like Lossiemouth and H.M.S. "Safeguard" at Rosyth and the submarine training at Faslane, all of which have training responsibility as well as other responsibilities. In all, the percentage I gave would be swollen by these extra figures.

Mr. Manuel

Can the Minister say what the percentage would be without the three establishments he has just mentioned? I think that the figure would be small and would not give us a parity with training establishments in England.

Mr. Orr-Ewing

I am afraid that I cannot, because not all of these people at the other establishments are undergoing training. There is a strong element of training, especially in places like Lossiemouth.