§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he proposes to continue the policy of periodically reverting skilled labourers of long service to ordinary labourers in His Majesty's dockyards, thereby causing these men to forfeit their skilled status and pay; and whether he will devise a scheme that will preserve the status and pay of men who have proved their efficiency?
§ Mr. AMMONIt is not the policy of the Admiralty to revert skilled labourers to the grade of ordinary labourers, so long as work is available on which they can be economically employed in the higher grade. If their services are no longer required in that grade and if, as an alternative to discharge, they accept employment as ordinary labourers, they cannot be given higher status or pay than other ordinary labourers. No other system would provide such a high degree of continuity of employment, consistently with economy.