§ 32. Mr. Willisasked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what consideration has been given to the possible use of H.M.S. "Blake" for sea-going training: and what has been the result.
§ The Civil Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. John Hay)Consideration has been given to the possible use of H.M.S. "Blake" for sea-going training, but the temporary manpower shortages which have prevented her return to operational service also mean that we have not the necessary trained men to use her as a training ship.
§ Mr. WillisBut surely the hon. Gentleman realises that the proposition I made during the debate on the Navy Estimates was that some of the trainees should take the place of the men we were short of and in that way receive a certain amount of training? Are we to understand that, in spite of supplementation from trainees, there is still a shortage of electrical and other manpower?
§ Mr. HayYes, Sir. The difficulty is that if what the hon. Gentleman is suggesting is that the ship should be used as a training ship for these technical personnel, which I understood was the suggestion he made in the debate, we have not the senior instructors to give them the training at sea which they would require. This is our main difficulty. We have a temporary shortage in these particularly sensitive fields, and much as the advice and the suggestion were valuable, I am afraid that they are not practicable.
§ Mr. E. L. MallalieuIs it still the policy of Her Majesty's Government to build ships which they have not men specialised in their particular tasks to man?
§ 37. Mr. Dalyellasked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty why H.M.S. "Blake" is to be put into reserve; and if he will make a statement on the shortage of specialist manpower.
§ Mr. HayIn the debate on the Vote on Account on 18th March last my predecessor gave the answer to the first part of the Question at some length. He also said that there was a long list of remedies, both short-term and long-term, which were in hand to overcome shortages of skilled men, but that these would take time to become effective. I will write to the hon. Member to give him the full details of the measures in hand.
§ Mr. DalyellWhy were not these shortages foreseen in the first place?
§ Mr. HayThese shortages were not foreseen simply because certain events happened which could not possibly have been foreseen. In particular, we were able to make much better progress than we had expected in the commissioning of ships, and that caused a temporary shortage here. There were certain changes in the run-down in Malta which also caused a problem. The whole matter has been gone into in detail, and I do not think that it would help to go over it again. This is not the result of being foolish and not looking forward; it is the result of success in our efforts.
§ Mr. WillisBut is the hon. Gentleman aware that many of the skilled men that he is now recruiting will be required for the Polaris programme? When can we expect H.M.S. "Blake" to go into commission again, with electrical and other branches?
§ Mr. HayThere are certain types of job which may be common but I am advised there are not many, and that particular problem is not likely to arise.
§ Miss VickersMay I ask my hon. Friend what success he has had in the recruitment of these special technicians? I had a reply from his hon. Friend previously saying that a special recruiting campaign was going on. Can my hon. Friend tell me how many men he has recruited?