HC Deb 17 February 1939 vol 343 cc2063-4W
Mr. Parker

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state the number of ships, specifying classes and stations on which employed, in which a subscription library is run for ratings, in addition to the service library, by individual ship arrangement, by the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institute, and by other arrangements, respectively; and the fees, deposits, and any other charges made to ratings under each arrangement?

Mr. Shakespeare

Arrangements of this kind are made by ships' companies or messes privately, and the Admiralty have in general no detailed information about them. There are libraries provided on this basis by the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes in 19 ships, and I understand that the charge for a book is two-pence a week and that a deposit is not required. The ships in which libraries are at present provided by the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes are:

Home Fleet;

  • 2 Battleships.
  • 2 Aircraft Carriers.
  • 2 Cruisers.
  • 1 Fishery Protection Vessel.
  • 1 Boys' Training Ship (Caledonia).

Mediterranean Fleet:

  • 1 Battleship.
  • 4 Cruisers.
  • 1 Destroyer.
  • 1 Destroyer Depot Ship.
  • 1 Repair Ship.

America and West Indies Station:

  • 2 Cruisers.

East Indies Station:

  • 1 Cruiser.

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