§ 6. Rear-Admiral Morgan-Gilesasked the Minister of State for Defence what is the average length of time on the waiting list for married quarters for naval ratings in the United Kingdom, Army other ranks in the United Kingdom, Royal Air Force other ranks in the United Kingdom, and naval ratings in Portsmouth, respectively.
§ The Minister of State for Defence (Lord Balniel)The length of time spent on a waiting list depends on a wide variety of factors and it would be both difficult and misleading to give an average waiting time for each Service in the United Kingdom as a whole. At Portsmouth the waiting time for naval ratings at the moment varies from three to eight months.
§ Rear-Admiral Morgan-GilesAs the problems of family separation are obviously of especial difficulty in the Royal Navy, could the Minister say what steps are being taken to reduce waiting time in Portsmouth and for naval ratings as a whole?
§ Lord BalnielIn the town of Portsmouth 700 quarters are under construction and due to be completed between now and early 1972. There are plans to acquire a further 500 by 1975. In so far as the Royal Navy as a whole is concerned, there are plans to provide approximately 3,000 additional married quarters by 1975.