§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if it is contemplated making any reduction in the numbers borne in the reserve destroyers to be laid up in the basin of Rosyth?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMI would refer the hon. Member to my reply of yesterday (OFFICIAL REPORT, cols. 1257–8).
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty 1478W if he is aware that the majority of the married officers and ratings in the reserve destroyers to be transferred to Rosyth have their homes in or near Portsmouth, Plymouth, or Chatham; and whether any assistance will be given to these married officers and ratings to meet the cost of transferring their homes to Scotland?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMThe personnel who will constitute the maintenance staff of the destroyers sent to Rosyth will not necessarily be the same as those now borne in the reserve complements. As is the practice in the case of men drafted for service at Rosyth or Port Edgar they will be, as far as possible, selected from volunteers, and non-volunteers will be relieved as soon as volunteers are available. They will thus be serving under the same conditions as those applying to personnel drafted to other naval services in Scotland, which do not include assistance of the nature referred to by the hon. and gallant Member.