§ LORD ABINGERWith the permission of your Lordships' House I beg to ask the Question that stands in my name on the Paper—viz.: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Lords of the Admiralty have given orders for a considerable number of bluejackets to be transferred from the Portsmouth and Devonport Divisions to the Chatham Division in consequence of the shortage of able seamen in the latter Division; how many of these men are voters in the Portsmouth or Devonport Divisions, and, if in the event of an Election, facilities will be given to those who are voters to return to record their vote free of expense, as in the event of an Election they would be deprived of the franchise owing to this order.
§ THE EARL OF GRANARDIn answer to my noble friend I can inform him that volunteers up to the number of 100 have been asked for to transfer from Portsmouth to Chatham. It is usual, and has always been the case in the past, to grant facilities for men to record their votes if they move from one station to another, as far as it is possible. Of course it is impossible to give these men any financial help in getting from one station to another, and the Treasury will not sanction any deviation from that rule.