MR. DOYLEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is prepared to give easier facilities for young men to leave 518W the Navy, especially in those cases where the parents are prepared to buy them out in order to secure their help in carrying on their businesses, or where the young men have been promised regular situations?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAInstructions have already been sent as to the manner in which selections are to be made of those who seek free discharge. The number of such discharges is strictly limited by the surpluses that exist in each particular class of rating. In some ratings there are no surpluses. Applicants whose cases can reasonably be considered as compassionate cases come in Category 1 of these instructions; but, beyond that, it is not considered justifiable to place young men in a position of priority over older men who have otherwise equal claims. With regard to those who have been promised work in civil life, arrangements will be as given in my reply to a question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Battersea South, on Monday last, in which I explained that on home stations, men who have employment awaiting them in civil life will be given priority for discharge over those who have not. In view of the difficulty of men on foreign stations obtaining a guarantee of employment, this rule is limited to home stations.