§ Mr. Prittasked the Minister of Shipping how many persons are now employed in his Ministry; how many of those persons were already employed as civil servants prior to their appointment to his Ministry; and, of those not so already employed, how many were drawn from the central register of the Ministry of Labour and how many were appointed on personal recommendation?
§ Sir J. GilmourThe staff employed at the headquarters of the Ministry of Shipping, excluding messengers and cleaning staff, numbers 822.
1763WOf these 699 were already civil servants prior to their appointment to the Ministry; 515 of them were employed before the outbreak of war in the Board of Trade on work now transferred to the Ministry of Shipping.
The remainder includes 40 persons from the shipping industry with specialist experience and knowledge who were nominated before the setting up of the Central Register, for service in the event of war. The balance consists of routine clerical and typing staff engaged through the Ministry of Labour.
No staff has yet been recruited from the Central Register but application has been made to that Register for persons with special qualifications for particular posts in the Ministry.
In addition to the headquarters staff, the services detailed below which were formerly administered by the Board of Trade, now form part of the Ministry of Shipping:
General Register Office of Shipping and Seamen.
War Risks Insurance Office.
Mercantile Marine Office service at ports.
Survey Service at Ports.
Sea Transport Officers at home and abroad.
His Majesty's Coastguard.
The total staff of these services numbers 2,025.
§ Mr. Benjamin Smithasked the Minister of Shipping whether it is intended to appoint a labour adviser to the Ministry of Shipping?
§ Sir J. GilmourI have appointed an Advisory Council upon which, as I am glad to inform the hon. Member, nine representatives of the officers and men of the Merchant Service have agreed to serve.