§ Sir T. BRAMSDONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if, in view of the fact that the admiral's writers' office of the "Queen Elizabeth" is situated on the water-line above the Propellers, that the mess of the writers on the admiral's staff has no natural light or open ventilation, and that these ratings have had to work excessive hours beyond ordinary working periods, he will call for further reports regarding the suitability of the conditions under which these writer ratings have to work, especially after a number of hours at sea in bad weather, when the ports cannot he opened in the office space; and will he also investigate the office and living spaces of the other flagships employed on the Mediterranean station with a view to doing everything within reason to provide healthy working and living spaces for writers?
§ Mr. AMMONThe question of the accommodation of the writers in the Admiral's office in H.M.S. "Queen Elizabeth" has recently been the subject of investigation and reports, and the question of possible improvements is still under consideration. No useful purpose would therefore be served by calling for fresh reports. As regards the second part of the question, particulars of office accommodation in other flagships on the Mediterranean station is already available, and samples of air from offices and other spaces in different ships are taken for test periodically. I must not be understood to agree with the statement that the hours worked by writers in "Queen Elizabeth" are excessive.