§ Sir ARTHUR FELLasked the First Lord of the Admiralty when the fishermen employed in the drifter patrol stationed at Dover will be released and allowed to return home to follow their proper avocation?
§ Mr. LONGIt is not understood to what men my hon. Friend refers, but the following facts may give him the information he requires. On 11th November, 1918, there were approximately 138 chartered drifters stationed at Dover. These have now been reduced to twenty-five, of which twenty-three are in hand reconditioning at that port, and their crews have been reduced to the minimum necessary for care and maintenance purposes. The remainder have been dispersed at various times to different ports round the coast for reconditioning and return to their owners. Admiralty-owned drifters employed in mine-sweeping are manned by men who have volunteered for this work. Demobilisation of all fishermen is being effected as rapidly as possible, but congestion of work at the ports where the vessels are reconditioned causes unavoidable delay.