§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of shipwrights in the Navy; whether he will state the number that have accepted the new scheme; whether he is aware that it is considered that pressure has been brought to bear on the shipwrights to accept this scheme; and whether he is aware that the shipwrights would prefer to remain under the old contract in force before the new scheme was introduced?
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§ Dr. MACNAMARAAs regards the first and second parts of the question, the number of the shipwright class is 1,316; the numbers who have accepted the new scheme are not yet known. A return has been called for. The answer to the third and fourth parts is in the negative. If the men prefer to remain under the old scheme thy are at liberty to do so.