HC Deb 01 March 1961 vol 635 cc1571-2
21 and 22. Mr. Hayman

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty (1) what reexamination of the size and composition of Naval Staff Divisions has taken place pursuant to Recommendation 13 of the First Report of the Select Committee on Estimates of last Session;

(2) what has been done to implement Recommendation 9 of the First Report of the Select Committee on Estimates of last Session, that further consideration should be given to the size, experience, and terms of reference of the Organisation and Methods Branch of the Admiralty Secretariat.

20. Mr. Wilkins

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what has been done to implement Recommendation 7 of the First Report of the Select Committee on Estimates of last Session that the tours of duty of senior naval officers at headquarters should be extended.

The Civil Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. C. Ian Orr-Ewing)

I would refer the hon. Members to the statements I made in columns 1320 and 1323 of HANSARD of 14th February when replying to the recent debate on Admiralty Headquarters Organisation.

Mr. Hayman

Will the Minister take into account the fact that the observations of the Admiralty and the Treasury and his speech of 14th February were very evasive, whereas the Select Committee on Estimates made precise recommendations on what ought to be done? When will he be in a position to be equally precise on the savings to be effected in every sphere?

Mr. On-Ewing

I ask the hon. Member to re-read what I said. We had already taken some action and I undertook, in concluding that debate, to take a good deal more action. We are pressing on with it. We take very seriously the criticism which has been made, and I am sure that we shall achieve our target of cutting 500 further people out of the Admiralty headquarters organisation in the next five years.

Mr. Paget

I read what the hon. Member said and I re-read it this morning. His speech contained a lot of aspirations but very little performance. When can we put down another Question and be told of some performance? On consideration, does he feel that an Organisation and Methods Branch temporarily drawn from a Department and going back into other divisions is much use? Ought there not to be efficiency experts from outside?

Mr. On-Ewing

We considered bringing in outside efficiency experts, but we came to the conclusion that it was better to strengthen that department. We raised the seniority of the people employed there, and we have said that we will employ people in the Organisation and Methods Department for a longer period.