§ EARL BEATTYMy Lords, I beg to ask His Majesty's Government the question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The question was as follows:
§ [To ask His Majesty's Government (a) the number of officers and ratings in the Royal Navy in 1934 and in 1948;
1070§ (b) the numbers in the Secretary's Department at the Admiralty in 1934 and in 1948.]
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (VISCOUNT HALL)My Lords, the strength of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines in March, 1934, was 90,000. The corresponding figure for 1948, which includes the Women's Royal Naval Reserve, is 147,000. The number of staff in the Secretary's Department at the Admiralty, including the Common Services, was 1,320 in 1934, and at the present time is 5,500. The figures quoted are approximate.
§ EARL BEATTYI thank the First Lord for his answer, but, arising from his reply, may I say that, from a hasty calculation it appears that whereas officers and men in uniform have increased in number by about 50 per cent., persons employed in the Department have increased in number by 250 per cent. Does not the First Lord think this a glaring instance in which it might be well to accelerate a reduction in personnel, for the benefit of the Navy as a whole?
§ VISCOUNT HALLI want to assure the noble Earl that we are accelerating reduction as last as we possibly can. It must be recognised that the noble Earl has selected for his purpose a period when the Navy was at its lowest numbers, both on the serving side and on the administrative side. At the conclusion of the war and since, a considerable amount of work has been entailed in relation to the run-down of men, and also in connection with contracts and terminals of all kinds. We certainly agree that the situation needs to be watched, and we are endeavouring to bring about a reduction as quickly as possible.